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.
But the Conservatives certainly do have a problem with support in Muslim communities.
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