Interesting interview.
Mothin Ali: “There’s a lot of racism on the left”
https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk-politics/2025/08/mothin-ali-interview-theres-a-lot-of-racism-on-the-left
Ali has recently come under scrutiny for deciding not to sign any internal pledges from the party’s various interest groups, particularly the LGBTIQA+ Greens. His reasoning was, firstly, that politicians regularly sign and break these types of pledge so they are not an effective way to effect change and, secondly, that pledges can subvert the party’s member-led policy process.
This stance prompted criticism and praise from inside and outside the party, much of which incorrectly assumed that he was unsupportive of LGBT rights when he is on the record expressing support for these communities. Amid the discussion online, Adnan Hussain, independent MP for Blackburn asked on X, “Is there space on the left to create a broad enough church to allow Muslims an authentic space, just as it does all other minority groups?”
“First and foremost, I’ve got to say I’m an unapologetic Muslim. I make no apology for who I am,” Ali said when I asked him if there is a place for practising Muslims in progressive spaces. “A lot of our [Islamic] mindset, a lot of our thinking is predominantly left wing. It’s predominantly socialist based,” he responded, “we’ve got a lot of natural home here.
“But, just as the racists exist on the right, they exist on the left – and that’s a conversation that’s very rarely had.”
Ali said that one prominent Green Party member described him of being “sinister” while another said it was right to be “suspicious” of Muslims. These are, frankly, not uncommon attitudes in British society, but Ali highlights how the Green Party does not yet have an anti-racism policy – something that he and others hope to change at the Party’s autumn conference. “There’s a lot of that [racism] that goes on in left-wing spheres that, because it’s done with a level of politeness and a level of niceness, it’s not that visceral hate that you get on the right,” he said.
Very interesting development it will be absurd, but predictable if the sexist Greens get caught in their tendency to be bigoted towards people who have different ideas about gender, but then get trapped into accusations of racism.
I mean it is clear that was a one factor in the persecution of Ali Shahrar as well. A lot of white liberals telling a secular brown guy how he should think.
Meanwhile women having thoughts is a next level threat.