Not jihad terrorism, that supposedly twists and hijacks Islam. That’s not the problem, as far as the MCB is concerned. “Islamophobia” is.
“Muslim Council: parties must tackle Islamophobia to win votes,” by Harriet Sherwood, Guardian, November 27, 2019:
Candidates and parties campaigning in the general election must commit to tackling racism and Islamophobia to win the support of Muslim voters, according to the Muslim Council of Britain.
A manifesto setting out how parties’ policies could affect Muslims has been published by the MCB after consulting its affiliates and communities across the UK.
According to the document, British Muslim Perspectives at the 2019 General Election, there are 26 constituencies with a Muslim population of at least 20% of the total, and two – Birmingham Hodge Hill and Bradford West – with estimated Muslim electorates of over 50%.
Muslim voters could influence the outcome in 31 marginal seats, the MCB said last week. On Friday, it organised its first ever voter registration drive in mosques and community organisations.
The new report calls on British Muslims to ensure “every voice is heard in this election”….
But, it adds, “there are serious concerns of the resurgence of the far right, together with growing Islamophobia from the governing party to sections of the media, which have shaped social attitudes about Muslims”.
The report identifies 10 key pledges it wants to obtain from political parties, topped by action to tackle racism and Islamophobia. Next is religious liberty – a demand that parties defend the right of Muslims and others to express their faith through religious clothing and “reasonable accommodation of religious observance”….