If you are Reform are you ok with this repulsive man potentially becoming an MP and representing women in parliament?

The centre is a food bank and community hub open to all, with a prayer room for all.

The church was empty for 5 years, no one wanted to buy it.

Crazy that people would prefer a building to stay empty rather than have services for the community.

Community Open Day
Thursday, 9 April 2026 13:47 - 21:40 Wigan Rashida Masjid
Everyone is welcome to visit the mosque, learn about Islam, enjoy traditional refreshments, and meet members of the community. Guided tours will be available throughout the day.

https://www.wiganrashidamasjid.co.uk/events/community-open-day

Booking
Mosque
Schedule a guided tour or group visit to the mosque. We welcome schools, organisations, and individuals.

https://www.wiganrashidamasjid.co.uk/bookings/mosque-visit

The Muslim representative of what?

It’s not a mosque, it’s a non-denominational prayer room.

Does a prayer room at the airport become a mosque just because people can pray in it?

I wonder if 'mosque' and 'prayer room' are interchangeable in everyday language, even if there are technical and legal distinctions between the two.

I've just found a Facebook discussion from 2024 between an Independent councillor for the area and a local Muslim representative - both refer to the building as a mosque in their posts and the Muslim representative offers to visit the councillor with his colleague to discuss the use of the building.

The Muslim representative says;
'this was a much required space for a mosque but also for a community space such as Food Bank and social activities/celebrations...'

Well, the whole 'mosque' thing just reveals no one from Reform wants any Muslim votes really. But it wasn't what the OP asked about.

Will Keir Starmer be an irrelevance soon, that is the immediate question. The Conservatives have a few years to gain ground - Starmer is on borrowed time.

I suppose it was to be expected now the Tories are an irrelevance.

I am surprised that Clav seems to have become Reform's defender-in-chief.

Edited as I found the link you seem reluctant to post. As you can see it is an ongoing g appeal. So again, the church has not been turned into a mosque. It really helps to link to your source, Clav.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/transforming-a-church-in-wigan-into-a-beacon-of-community

Reform's vetting failed. It really is that simple.

My post was a link to a GoFundMe appeal:

Our Journey:
Transforming an Old Historical Building in Wigan, UK, into Wigan Central Masjid.
Address:
240 Warrington Rd, Ince-in-Makerfield, Wigan WN3 4NH

Key Features:
1- New Mosque: A serene and welcoming prayer space...

Dear All,
Thank you for your generous donation to our New Wigan Central Mosque

There was a video;
'The Muslim community of Wigan wants to build a mosque.'

Worth also adding it can't be a mosque as it has a MULTI FAITH prayer room.

This councillor is also a woman responsible for disinformation about Southport , who encouraged people on SM to write letter to poor Tommy Robinson in prison.

She campaigned to keep St Mary's as a church after several failed attempts had been made to sell it. This new facility rescued the building for the community after it had stood empty for FIVE YEARS.

Easy enough to fact check.

Worth also adding it can't be a mosque as it has a MULTI FAITH prayer room.

This councillor is also a woman responsible for disinformation about Southport , who encouraged people on SM to write letter to poor Tommy Robinson in prison.

She campaigned to keep St Mary's as a church after several failed attempts had been made to sell it. This new facility rescued the building for the community after it had stood empty for FIVE YEARS.

Easy enough to fact check.

I don't link to social media but here is the conversion:

Maureen O’Bern Independent Councillor for Ince and Scholes
22 June 2024
I asked the council about St Mary's Church, Warrington Rd, Ince being converted into a mosque. This is the reply I got. My view is that it is insensitive to peoples cultural feelings and religious beliefs to convert a Christian Church into a mosque. I would feel the same if a mosque was to be converted to a church. The building should have been put to better use, maybe converted to housing for local people as St Williams has.

Esmail Lakdawala
Hi Maureen O’Bern Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Wigan, this was a much required space for a mosque but also for a community space such as Food Bank and social activities/celebrations where people of all faith and no faith can do come together and bridge this toxic divide once the place is fully renovated. It was bought at full market price by people who have lived and worked in the borough for 30 to 40 years with not a single penny from government grants. The same people who serve you in Wigan Whritington hospitals and work in other sectors in Wigan. As one of the members, I am happy to talk to you and get your inputs how we can develop in a beacon of community spirit in Ince.

Maureen O’Bern Independent Councillor for Ince and Scholes
Esmail Lakdawala Thanks for your comments, I appreciate everyone has the right to freedom of religion and a place to worship. However you must appreciate that people who have prayed and worshipped at St Mary's are obviously upset at the idea of it being converted into a mosque. As I reiterate, I would feel the same if a mosque was being converted to a Christian Church. I personally feel it is culturally and religiously insensitive and I think a secular building would have been a far more appropriate choice, and wouldn't have caused the same upset. I am happy to meet and discuss. As a Councillor my role is to address all concerns raised by residents.

Esmail Lakdawala
Maureen O’Bern Independent Parliamentary Candidate for Wigan cheers, we will definitely come to your surgery with my colleague to discuss and seek your thoughts. You are also most welcome to visit us. I can assure you it will be a collaborative effort to address any concerns.

Maureen O’Bern Independent Councillor for Ince and Scholes
Esmail Lakdawala Thank you

doesn't actually state the church is now a mosque

That wasn't my point - I was talking about interchangeable language for everyday use rather than being technically correct.

The rape is from a different post.
I am sure you can do inference, Clav.

Yes, I can and so can the many other publications who have not made the same inference as the Observer - the Observer looks to be an outlier on this point. The quote you are thinking of does not mean that Kenyon suggested women were falsely claim rape - he is quite clearly saying don't dole out extreme/outlier examples to make your point. Here;

“Don’t dole out the ‘what if someone is raped by their brother’ arguement [sic].

I thought you taught English/Film Studies or whatever - are you really saying you agree with the Observer? Hopefully, you are just being political.

The rape is from a different post.

I am sure you can do inference, Clav.

I was just c and p ing what he actually said so that you could see it.

He has had so much stuff pulled and disabled that it is impossible to track back everything. How convenient.

Almost every women's charity, pregnancy advisory service, rape and DV and abortion charity and women's medical service has spoken out about his views. It's a shame you want to engage in whataboutery and semantics.