Muslim vote (the group, not people generally)

Apparently so.

Of course not all Muslims want Islamic laws in the UK. That’s not the point. It’s the ones who do that matter. Things are shifting, which naturally causes alarm.

So true @Hoppinggreen can't let everyone think we are normal people. 😅🤣

I can see both sides of this.

On the one hand I don't think it's a good message to give out that it's OK for religious leaders to tell their flock how to vote. I know it does happen eg in Tower Hamlets. But it undermines democracy, we are lucky to have a private ballot, many countries don't and it's always the most marginalised (eg women) who come under the most pressure on how to vote.

On the other hand, Muslim Vote are perfectly within their rights to make demands of the Party they support if they feel that Party has lost sight of their interests. Especially the Muslim vote which has historically been very pro-Labour. Why shouldn't they be vocal about what they want? I respect that. That's a healthy function of democracy. I am gender critical and I wish GC women had done the same when Labour was first going down the self-ID route.

This piece explains some of the background. Giles Fraser is against the law, but there's no doubt that the imams in question did advocate voting for Rahman.
https://amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/apr/29/lutfur-rahman-tower-hamlets-mayor-verdict-undue-spiritual-influence

Oh come on now, stop being reasonable. It hardly helps with the rabid clickbait does it?

@peanutbuttertoasty yes. That's what I'm saying. Whoever these people are are not the majority. I have never even heard of this or wanted it.

I haven't read all the threads but I'm Muslim and to be quite honest and frank with you all, imams 99% of the time will never tell you who and who not to vote for. The ones who do I'm not quite sure what the MO is. When I say this is a very tiny tiny bunch of people who are probably asking for this I mean TINY. Imams don't have political agendas regardless of what any other mumsnetter on here thinks/wants others to think. Please stop painting them all with the same brush.

Presuming you live in the UK which is a safe democracy and you enjoy the freedoms that allows?

As a Muslim I vote for who I want. Never in my life or friends and family have I witnessed anyone asking or being told by an imam who to vote for.

Didn't even know this was a thing.

Not necessarily. The argument would be that a clause originally intended to criminalise dodgy village vicars (the original wording dates back centuries) is now being weaponised against innocent Muslim candidates to stifle legitimate political debate in mosques.

Personally I strongly agree with the retention of the clause, and think that arguing for its removal is dodgy, but it's not an out and out admission of guilt.

https://x.com/artemisfornow/status/1786688318505201731?s=46

He seems nice. When do you think he’ll sort out the potholes? 😳

Some of the things in that list are quite reasonable. Others are batshit. I can't see any political party caving to number 18.

This shouldn't even get publicity because it's quite ridiculous. I'll bet the majority of Muslims haven't even ever heard of them.

It’s going to be an interesting time for Labour and I think it’s going to really test where their loyalties lie.
Much of Islam is very conservative- eg rights of women, homosexuality. I wonder how Labour will respond?

They have a website and send out emails if you subscribe. Part of a recent one:

What TMV Does As a reminder to folks:

TMV seeks to dramatically change the Muslim situation of electoral weakness into a position of strength over the next three election cycles.

We do this by:

Upskilling our community
Being coordinated and united about our vote.

We don’t care if you are a Mad Mamluk or a Thinking Muslim - all are welcome here.

Apparently the mad mamluks have a YouTube Channel.

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheMadMamluks
As does the Thinking Muslim
https://www.youtube.com/@TheThinkingMuslim

@Noicant This will be down to selection procedures in constituencies. I believe Labour should select on openly transparent principles and not bow to religious groups. Of any type. Would we be ok with CofE demanding a set of actions in reward for support? Or Jewish people? I suspect not. We have our set of values and hopefully a Labour government will make policy and laws for the majority. Labour appears to tread a careful line and not upset anyone but the Middle East clearly is divisive. It’s inevitable some groups are demanding policy changes to favour them, but the Muslim vote seems to like Reform in some areas. Labour should stick to what Labour principles are.

I have no objection to faiths or listening to their views, but they go too far when it’s blatant interference with political parties and this feels like coercion. Not on.

I agree. I think this group is doing muslims no favours as their demand to get their own views imposed on the country plays into the hands of racists everywhere but far worse is that this type of action starts to sway people who have either been ambivalent or supportive of multiculturalism.
Yes of course there are extremists in all groups and religions who don’t represent all members but people remember that the worst terrorist incidents in this country of recent times have been from extremist islam groups and we see on the news how extreme islam regimes treat their citizens, especially women. Therefore people are hyper vigilant at what they perceive as any attempt to change the UK towards religious rule.

Yes, who are they and who voted for them?

Most Muslims do not want to be told how to vote and would not appreciate this at all.

I would also object to any religious interference with elections and I dont believe that doing so is racist or Islamaphobic at all just as I believe that keeping men out of womens spaces isn't Transphobic at all.
What I do think is racist/Islamaphobic is some of the hyperbole and rhetoric that goes with it and the way that some people and some sections of the media try to use every single thing that any muslim does to claim that "they" are taking over and we will all be walking round in Burkhas and they way that any wrong doing by a Muslim is evidence of them all being a certain way.
Muslims are a diverse group and yes there are extremists just like with any religion or political group. Just because there are extremists (who are often the most vocal) its no reason to claim that ALL Muslims are to be feared and that there is some great plot to create a caliphate here

Who exactly are they?