Rise of Political Islam in UK and Labour Party’s new dilemma – Firstpost

The United Kingdom has been consistently making headlines for not-so-good reasons. Recently, India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was not only heckled by pro-Khalistani protestors, but they also desecrated the Indian flag in front of him. Moreover, this happened near Chatham House in the presence of the London city police force, who could not do much to stop the situation either.

This incident pulls more attention as it demonstrates the ruling Labour Party’s leniency on anti-India forces. It raises eyebrows because on one hand, PM Keir Starmer wants UK-India relations to prosper and strengthen. On the other hand, London protects anti-India extremists who pose a threat to the Indian-origin diaspora.

The Labour Party, ideologically placed centre-left, won 411 out of 650 seats last year, making them the highest majority in the House of Commons. Amongst the ongoing revelations and attention towards the UK’s frail domestic security, it will be interesting to dissect the ethnoreligious makeup of the Labour Party. Moreover, how it has affected domestic politics and religious sensibilities, and whether they will be able to navigate these murky waters with ease, remains to be seen.

Muslim Representation in Labour

The Labour Party’s voter base consists of a significant Muslim population. The party now commands 411 seats in the House of Commons, doubling its 2019 tally of 202. Parveen Akhtar, a UK-based political scientist who closely follows the UK’s domestic politics, has remarked that a key subplot of the election is its evolving relationship with British Muslim voters, who have historically viewed Labour as their natural political home. She further observed,

“At the local council level, there are, according to the Labour Muslim Network, over 500 Muslim councillors across the UK, and over 75 per cent of them are members of the Labour Party. In the 2019 General Election, over 80 per cent of Muslims voted for the Labour Party.”

It is also observed that the Muslim voting pattern shifts in certain scenarios. Those scenarios typically being how the Labour Party reacts and responds to situations involving Muslims around the world. For instance, major West Asian geopolitical events in the 21st century:

In the past decade or so, due to population growth, immigration as well as refugee influx, the Muslim demographic has risen to significant levels in many of the UK’s provinces. Muslim demographic power has translated into legitimate parliamentary representation in the 2024 Parliamentary elections. A direct connection can be made, wherein a Muslim-majority constituency has elected a Muslim MP.

Except for Zubir, Naushabah Khan, and Sadik al-Hassan, the rest of the aforementioned have been elected to their constituencies since 2015 at least. So, not only the Labour Party but also those who independently fought the elections from a Muslim-majority constituency and having an Islam-first prerogative, have won.

Out of these, Apsana Begum, Imran Hussain and Zarah Sultana now stand suspended due to their rebelling against the ‘two-child benefit cap’, calling it ‘control freakery’. The rest of the four suspended MPs have also made controversial statements within 2 months of gaining power. The aforementioned three MPs have also supported Palestine and spoken against the arms supply to Israel. However, Keir Starmer faced backlash for supporting Israel’s right to cut off water and electricity to Gaza, outraging left-wing and Muslim voters. His stance on Palestinian rights has confused and could further alienate Labour’s traditional voter base.

Labour Party’s Perception of India

On the other hand, PM Starmer has shown a commendably nuanced stance on India and the UK-India relationship, even expressing enthusiasm for deepening the strategic partnership. Yet, a significant hurdle could soon emerge—his own MPs with certain affiliations. With many of them holding political views that may not exactly align with his push for closer ties to India’s BJP-led government. Starmer might find that navigating these domestic differences could turn his diplomatic aspirations into a far trickier affair.

It is noteworthy to observe the Labour Party’s stance on Kashmir. In 2019, around nine Labour MPs wrote a letter to then-PM Boris Johnson, calling on the British government to condemn India’s abolishment of Article 370 in Kashmir. The MPs expressed concern that PM Narendra Modi’s actions are driven by Hindu nationalism, which according to them, led to the marginalisation and violence against Muslims in India. The MPs urged PM Johnson to prioritise principle over trade relationships and advocate for the Kashmiri people.

This intra-party faction within the Labour Party will make Keir Starmer’s tenure even more difficult. Alternatively, this faction may also give birth to a new political party, which will primarily represent the views, sentiments and well-being of Muslims at home and abroad. The possibility of such occurrences will not be new to South Asian nations alone. The trend of pro-Palestinian independent candidates getting elected; further pushes the chances higher.

Furthermore, Starmer, sooner or later will realise this deepening divide might also end up being a bargaining chip. In the future, if the majority of the representatives disagree with Keir on such issues, they may decide to withdraw themselves from the Labour Party. If that happens, then the strength of Commons will reduce.

Lack of Effective System

One thing that should have everyone’s attention, is some of the aforementioned constituencies made the headlines in recent years for large-scale targeted violence, acts of Jihadist form of terrorism, vandalism and arson. As per
data available, during the years 2005 to 2021, constituencies which are constantly on the radar of extremists and terrorists are London, Belfast, Manchester, Birmingham, Bradford, Reading, Rochdale, Abbotsinch, Lockington, etc. Not to forget, hundreds of young Brits are leaving their homeland to fight for ISIS, and cases like those of Shamima Begum have put newfound pressure on the government to tackle Islamist radicalisation and brainwashing among vulnerable youth.

Moreover, the recent shocking ‘grooming gangs’ scandal, where men, mostly of Pakistani origin targeted vulnerable young girls mostly from children’s homes. This scandal saw over 1,400 victims in Rotherham alone between 1997 and 2013. Public inquiries, including the 2015
Jay Report, exposed decades of systemic failures by police and local authorities, as similar abuse unfolded in towns like Rochdale, Oxford, and Bristol.

What is even more ridiculous, Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, with its commanding majority in the Commons, rejected the Conservatives’ Children Wellbeing and Socials Bill. The bill sought a new national inquiry into these sexual abuses enabling ‘grooming gangs’. The vote, 364 to 111, saw support from 101 Conservatives, Reform UK, DUP, and independents—but no Labour MPs backed the proposal.

Every day, news comes in from Bangladesh, where minorities are under attack, and Afghanistan, where women, children and minorities face increasing restrictions on their basic rights to education and freedom of movement. Is Keir Starmer’s Labour Party paving the way for the dominance of political Islam in the UK?

The responsibility now lies squarely with MPs and PM Starmer to address religious terrorism and extremism in the UK. It is alarming that a ‘first-world nation’ continues to struggle with ensuring safety and security for citizens of all faiths. Last year around Eid, a
video surfaced where Sadik al-Hassan and Keir Starmer were talking about tackling Islamophobia. The irony is palpable: relentless efforts to decry Islamophobia persist, even as a troubling pattern of attacks, assaults, and other crimes emerges from one particular community. Perhaps what’s labelled as ‘Islamophobia’ is less about prejudice and more about a natural response to recurring realities that demand acknowledgement.

The spotlight is solely on Muslim elected representatives, with every word and action now seen as emblematic of political Islam. The next five years will be pivotal; with the rise of conservatism across Europe, UK’s Labour MPs will be held accountable for either curbing jihadist violence or allowing it to flourish.

Their handling of critical issues like anti-India sentiment, Pakistani grooming gangs, unchecked immigration, the refugee crisis, and the growing welfare dependency is being closely observed. With a demographic shift already underway, it’s high time they step beyond political posturing and prove they can confront the realities, not just the rhetoric, of the challenges facing their country.

Gargi Shanbhag works as a Research Assistant at Chanakya University, Bengaluru. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.