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RSSRejoice! The number of Muslim MPs has doubled
I’m sure this post will upset lots of Islamophobes in the blogosphere.
By Mehdi Hasan Published 07 May 2010 18:04
I've just received in my inbox this press release (below) from the Muslim News, which has cheered me up (but has probably sent a shiver down the spine of Melanie Phillips, Douglas Murray, Charles Moore et al).
The number of Muslim MPs has doubled to eight in the closest elections in decades and saw the first three Muslim women -- all Labour -- elected to the 650-member House of Commons.
In addition, the Conservatives have gained their first two Muslim MPs, but the possibility of adding a third was dashed after Zahid Iqbal failed in overturning Labour's 3,000 majority in Bradford West, northern England.
Thursday's elections were marked by a swing from Labour to the Conservatives and resulted in one of two Muslim ministers, Shahid Malik, losing his parliamentary seat for Dewsbury in northern England by just over 1,500 votes.
But Transport Minister Sadiq Khan defied the swing to retain his seat for Tooting in south London with a reduced majority of 2,500 votes.
Khalid Mahmood also successfully defended his parliamentary seat for Labour in Birmingham Perry Bar for the second time, increasing his majority to more than 11,000.
In Glasgow Central, Anas Sarwar also increased Labour's majority to almost 16,000 in replacing his father, Mohammed Sarwar, who stepped down at the election after becoming Britain's first Muslim MP back in 1979.
Over 90 Muslim candidates of various political persuasions stood in the general election, including 22 women.
Three Muslim women, all Labour, became the first to enter parliament.
The first Muslim woman to win was Yasmin Qureshi, winning in the Bolton South-East constituency in north-west England, but by a reduced majority of more than 8,600.
Shabana Mahmood increased the majority of the outgoing former international development secretary Clare Short from under 7,000 votes to more than 10,000 in Birmingham Ladywood in central England.
Rushanara Ali won with a huge majority of 11,000, defeating Abjol Miah of the Respect party to third place in Bethnal Green and Bow. The Lib Dems' Ajmal Masroor came second.
The first Muslim Conservatives to be elected were Sajid Javid, who retained Bromsgrove [for the Tories] with an increased majority of more than 11,000 . . . and Rehman Chisti, who won by more than 8,500 votes in newly created Gillingham and Rainham in south-east England.
Nadhim Zahawi, chief executive of the online market research agency YouGov, also became the first Iraqi Kurd to become a UK MP by successfully defending the Conservatives' 10,000-plus majority in [Stratford-on-Avon], central England.
Congratulations to Labour and the Tories for electing non-white MPs in general and Muslim MPs, in particular, and shame on the all-white, male-heavy Liberal Democrats.
I should also add that if the Muslim population of Britain were proportionately represented in parliament, we'd have more than 20 Muslim MPs and not just eight. But beggars can't be choosers, I suppose . . .
Tags: Election 2010
Mehdi Hasan is the New Statesman’s senior editor (politics) and the co-author of Ed: The Milibands and the Making of a Labour Leader
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65 comments
Well, well... I've just been watching a recording of Question time of 13th May. And I'm relived to see that I'm not the only one who thinks Mehdi Hasan is an arse-hole. He has not a clue about the economic Tsunami that is approaching us and just cares about getting rid of 'first past the post'... I wonder why he's so narrow-sighted.
I think mehdi did a great job on QT. Best I have seen for many monthes. Well done .
p.s I love your music medhi......
medhi hassam indulged in his own bit of catholicaphobia on question time last week, buts thats ok, he is a muslim,one rule for them one rule for non muslims.lets face the facts,if there is so called islamaphobia it is the fault of muslims not anybody else,if people are islamaphobic they are just reacting to the behavior of muslims towards non muslims,try living as a white minority in a muslim area and you will find out quickly the true meaning of the word racism and hatred,i used to live in glodwick in oldham and racial attacks and hatred towards non muslims is rife and in my experience muslims are the most racist people i have ever lived with and i would never live in a muslim area again.jewishaphobia,christianaphobia,hinduaphobia,christianaphobia,sikhaphobia,buddhistaphobia,what have all these phobias got in commen,they are all alive and well in every muslim community not only in the uk but all over the world,case closed medhi hassan
@grumble wrote, "medhi hassam (sic) indulged in his own bit of catholicaphobia on question time last week"
Could you provide us with the quote you think was anti-Catholic?
or, a repeat of the plague. Both, if encouraged further, will empty England of Brits.
He has to go.
RE Mehdi Hasan 'I should also add that if the Muslim population of Britain were proportionately represented in parliament, we'd have more than 20 Muslim MPs and not just eight. But beggars can't be choosers, I suppose .'
COULD YOU LET ME KNOW OF ANY MAJORITY MUSLIM COUNTRY WITH SO MANY MP'S FROM A RELIGIOUS MINORITY?
Muslim MP's? Shouldn't they just be MP's?
People should be elected on merit, not religion.
Furthermore, it's an insult to any Muslim that MP's are parading themselves as messiahs of our faith to get into parliament. France have done the right thing. WHat we nee is more far right politics to balance the failures of Labour.
No wonder the UK has gone to hell in a Burkha.
Watching questiontime and I have to ask why your behaving like an excitable child, along with Melanie!? How is it possible for someone with such immaturity and propensity to shout over people was ever allowed to take part in a mature and sensible debate. This will probably be first and last time that such a overtly bios'd asian mouth peace. How is it possible your considered a senior at anything let alone editing, you deserve a good kick up the arse you sniveling little man. A bit like those idiots who got more than they bargained for when they tried to have a go at that arsehole bnp candidate.
No one votes for Muslims becuase they are all suicide bombers.
Someone should build a wall around Bradford, Birmingham, Leicester and the Lancastrian mill towns and nuke them.
If you apologists for the empire feel somuch guilt just f**k off and live in India and Pakistan eh?
The bottom line is there are more Atheists than Muslim nutters and we will win when Islamism will no longer be tolerated.
Qunts the lot of you.
Enjoying your open comments policy, the New Statesman. If anything, I grow ever gladder of your frightening tolerance of terrifying racists, especially considering your employment of one of the UK's most engaging and talented muslim journalists.
Patronising to say the least...
"Rejoice! The number of gay MPs..."
"Rejoice! The number of disabled MPs..."
"Rejoice! The number of women MPs..."
Like Roshan said, I don't care if my MP worships Thor or looks like a red alien from Mars, what really matters is if s/he represents my interests.
Very patronising indeed...
Agree with the comments re QT. An excitable child.
Your suggestion that the Lib Dems didn't try hard enough to get their ethic candidates into seats.. Perhaps you should take a look at the funds available. The election expenditure went something like £3million Tory, £2million Labour and £100k for the Lib Dems. Money and the Media get seats.. the Lib Dems had neither.. Thanks Murdoch
Sayeeda Warsi baking a cake as we speak :)
I always find Muslim/ethnic minority Tories so funny. Scratch the surface of the Tory Party and the Xenophobic core remains
Erm, the Lib Dems didn't choose which of their candidates were elected, and they did much worse than all expectations. It has nothing to do with them not putting forth Muslim candidates in winnable seats.
And while it's good to see Muslims and other ethnic minorities being well-represented in parliament, people should vote according to who they think will best serve them and with whose views they agree most, not on their religion.
Considering they have taken over large areas of our towns, it's hardly surprising. The white people have fled.
In Stepney gangs of asian men intimidated people, including white people and told them who to vote for, still that's the way its done in third world countries.
There are the postal vote frauds to consider, easy to win when 20 people and children are illegally registered at one house.
The Tories had to select minority candidates in order to get any elected.
Yes, you've done real well considering the last lot were knee deep in expense fraud. Whatever happened to Baroness Uddin, living in her marble palace now is she?
You must be so proud. Shame you couldn't get any on your own merits.
Rejoice! The number of antiSemitic, homophobic, sectarian MPs has doubled.
Derek
08 May 2010 at 14:29
“I think its great. That should shut up the far right seeing as they couldnt even manage 1 seat & lost so many deposits. Have to laugh. UK is tolerant of all & this far right is just a silly, albeit vocal, minority.”
Indeed. Even tolerant of intolerant
Hasan needs his brain re-chipped. He obviously has an electronic fault and needs to be plugged into a diagnostic machine and a needle inserted to 'deaden' that part of his brain. He is quick to attack those that have had a University education, just like himself. He's a bigot and a hypocrite and a potential danger to others.
If I was to be writing an article on the religion of MPs in the new parliament then it would maybe focus on my background as a methodist. But, since these days I am atheist/agnostic, I wouldnt consider it as an issue nor would I take any cheer from it.
Of course it is important that our elected representatives are a cross-section of all and that includes women, LGBT, religious groups, humanists ..... what else should I include?
What is more important in my mind tho is the progressiveness or otherwise of who gets elected. Locally we have just elected the conservative Alok Sharma over labours Naz Sarkar .. bad move but that is what the electorate said on the day
so i take it the gender of mps is also irrelevant and we would be happy with 650 odd men in power..
What is your problem? What is your agenda? You are obviously bitter that Labour have been thrown out. Do we have to live with your near to extreme misplaced ranting? I guess so as this is UK!
And after Hubris comes ......
Terrorist, fundamentalist W@NKER
Pro-Islamification B£LL END
Prophet (Puff more like) Mohammed was and is a pig F@CKING Homosexual, child abuser.
Nadhim Zahawi is a Christian Kurd.
just shows what a great place we live in ,i just hope all people elected what ever race they are represent the people and their interests and show the world that people of different races can live together as god would want .peace to all.
the only reasons u have muslim mps is because they are muslims they will not do anything much apart from tell their relatives back home be it india,pakistan,bangladesh, that they are mps who work for the govement, what a lot of crap
If everyone is equal, why do Muslims need to be represented by Muslim MP's?
They don't DT.
This guy is a dangerous terrorist extremeist, and a Labour supporter.
He wants sharia law imposed on the uk and should be hanged for TREASON OR AT LEAST DEPORTED.
He is a terrorist intent on destroying the UK.
Why is this so important? It's not up to the parties to get individuals to stand for public service, it is up to the individuals to do it for themselves.
Why do Muslims need their hand's held? Can't they get there on merit? If not they don't deserve to.
Mehdi you *must* get back on QT. The comments from the nutters it attracts are fantastic. It is a great pleasure to see them gnashing their teeth in their misery and incomprehension. It would be interesting to see how class is represented in parliament. I suspect that has changed very little since the election (or in the last 100 years come to think of it)
"Rejoice! The number of Muslim MPs has doubled"
Oh how i will! Lets get shitfaced!
Shame 21st century and some of us are still racist. Huge shame to Europe
Says a lot about British tolerance that there are any Muslim MPs at all, what with 7/7 and all that, so I guess we should accept your compliment.
UK RIP. You couldn't make it up.
you poor silly fools.Evil is as evil dose.
Come to Jesus brothers. This is your only salvation. Just ask yourselves and be frank with yoursleves. Look at the lives of the Lord Jesus christ versus yours and see the difference.
Would we have been required to celebrate if the BNP had somehow managed to get a Muslim MP elected to parliament? I'm just asking because it doesn't seem to matter which ideological foundations the person in question adheres to what matters is their religion, so, Tories Yay! Labour Yay! Lib Dem Boo! BNP Yay/Boo [Hypothetically delete as required]. And I have absolutely no sympathy for those members of that ethnic group who couldn't get any of their BNP candidates elected, but somehow the fact that muslim candidates were fielded and elected is supposed to make me sit up and get excited. Now, can I be bothered to go and see how many atheists were fielded and elected? No, not really, I'd rather go and read a book about the psychology of thought and behaviour in regions of ethnic tension.
''Nadhim Zahawi is a Christian Kurd''
That's not very nice! Oh......Kurd. Sorry.
I voted for Shaz Sheehan but she lost to Stephen Hammond. I assume she objects to Sharia law which represses women so I would have been doubly pleased if she had won. I have yet to be convinced there is any redeeming virtue of Islam regarding women's rights.
Thank God I'm an atheist.
I worked at Tory HQ in the 1997 campaign, and I quickly learned that I was supporting a bunch of xenophobes. It was like a re-run of the Raj, in terms of how I felt. Once a Tory, always a xenophobe.
Rejoice! The number of Muslim MPs has doubled???????????
Excuse me , what on erth kind of statement is that ?
Lets Rejoice over the Catholics and the Hindis and the Quakers then in the House Of Parliment ? I find that statement very Racist and singular towards 1 group, who cares if there Muslim , Catholic or Pagan !
This is actually a racist attitude and I for one am sick of pro Muslims trying to make an issue of there faith. Who cares! Just do the damn job properly!
I have a question for everyone here, "When did Religion play a part in politics?".
I wonder how many Muslims would be arrested for burning the bible... mmmmmm
Makes one wonder. Hypacrits imho
The British are mostly a very tolerant nation, and will allow anyone a voice.
Judging from your own documented comments, you don't share that tolerance, and view all non Muslims as no better than animals.
With a background like that, I should be surprised you are chief editor of a left wing magazne, but on second thoughts I am not.
@Mohammad
Muslims can Lie to non Muslims (Fact)
Muslims are not Tolerant of other Religions (Fact)
Muslims are very unsiciable because of there narrow minded views of non Muslims (fact)
Britain will be tired of Muslims *history repeats itself, where theres religion theres war*
Muslims are not peaceful and never will be as long as you have holes in your butts. The agenda is to take Britain by force and conquer.
Some of us arent playing to that plan pal. Call me a lefty a Nazi w/e, Im pro Saxon and love my country, I'd like to see how many Churches I can erect in your a Muslim state. Not many huh? Hypacrits the lot of them.
Good to know. Here's my blog report from Bradford where we failed to elect a Muslim MP despite two good Tory candidates.
http://www.umaronline.com/2010/05/politics-uk-election-2010-tories-enjoy...
It horrifies me having so many of these people in our parliament. I do not believe all cultures are equal, as our is superior to Islam. Islam is a warlike and predatory religion. Soon they will pervert our laws and we are all to blind to see.
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