The Conservatives should not give up on Muslim voters

Amongst many leaflets posted and campaigns found around this general election, we can see groups setting out to ‘mobilise the Muslim vote’. I find the term stomach-churning. I’m a director of Faith Matters, which seeks to foster good relationships between all faith communities. I don’t believe in seeing people’s political choices as some form of block activity or vote: religious, racial, or anything else. But identity politics is, unfortunately, on the rise – and we can see plenty of it in this election campaign.

I’ve seen a mailshot from one group that declares: “we kicked out 8 Islamophobic MPs in 3 general elections. Help us kick out 14 more in this one!” I was all agog to find out who these ‘Islamophobic MP’s’ were, what evidence had been found to unmask them. Then I saw the list: it includes Amber Rudd, the former Home Secretary and Iain Duncan Smith. Now, you can call these former Cabinet members many things, but ‘Islamophobic’ is not a charge that has any relevancy.