ELECTION GUIDE
MAY 5th 2005
CONSTITUENCY:
Brent East
MUSLIM DEMOGRAPHICS:
| Muslim Population* |
10,999 |
12% |
| Muslims of Voting Age |
7,039 |
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2003 BY-ELECTION RESULT:
| Lib Dem |
8,158 |
 |
39% |
| Labour |
7,040 |
 |
34% |
| Tory |
3,368 |
 |
16% |
| Others |
2,286 |
 |
11% |
| Total Turnout |
20,852 |
36% |
| Majority |
1,118 |
|
2001 ELECTION RESULT:
| Labour |
18,325 |
|
63% |
| Tory |
5,278 |
|
18% |
| Lib Dem |
3,065 |
|
11% |
| Others |
2,324 |
|
8% |
| Total Turnout |
28,992 |
45% |
| Majority |
13,047 |
|
CANDIDATES:
Yasmin Qureshi (Labour)
Summary
Yasmin Qureshi
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LABOUR
Brent East |
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Voting History/Early Day Motions
Not applicable.
Election Survey:
Questionnaire not returned. 
If you live in this constituency we request that you email our sample letter to this candidate asking them to respond - its your right to know what your candidate stands for. Failure to respond may be interpreted as a candidates unwilling to clarify his or her real position and a disregard for the concerns of Muslim constituents.
Other Information
In December 2004 Yasmin Qureshi, a barrister, was appointed by the Mayor Ken Livingstone to be his human rights adviser:
'I am pleased to have a Muslim woman advising me and carrying this work forward at a time when many Muslims feel that their rights around the world are not being addressed, and I am sure that she will take up these issues, such as a woman's right to choose to wear the hijab, with vigour. For this reason I have asked Yasmin Qureshi also to address issues of Islamophobia, including Islamophobia in the media, as part of her work..."[1]
In March 2005, in her capacity as adviser on human rights, she visited Paris to meet the opponents of the ban on hijab.[2]
She has spoken with insight about the Irish situation and the parallels between their persecution and what is happening to Muslims today.[3]
As adviser on human rights she has called for an end to the EU-Israel preferential trade agreement and for an arms embargo to be placed on Israel.[4]
She has spoken out against the USA revoking Tariq Ramadan's visa to the USA forcing him to resign from his professorship at an American university.[5]
Other interesting posts she has held include
Head of the Criminal Legal Section of the UN Mission in Kosovo, and
Chair of the Human Rights and Civil Liberties Working Group of the Association of Muslim Lawyers.
[1] Mayor appoints new human rights adviser,
http://www.london.gov.uk/view_press_release.jsp?releaseid=4627
[2]
Yasmin Qureshi meets 'headscarf ban' opponents, 15 March 2005
http://www.redhotcurry.com/news/gla_headscarf_ban.htm
"Since the introduction of the ban in France , at least 47 girls have been dismissed from schools and hundreds have had their lives affected in other ways. It is a basic issue of human rights that individuals can observe their religion. It is essential that institutions including schools respect the right of people to wear religious and traditional dress."
[3] Qureshi takes up the cause of the Irish, 8 April 2005, Tom Griffin The Irish World:
http://www.theirishworld.com/homepage.asp?fname=2005-04-08%5Cnews%5C2.htm
She believes that there are clear parallels between the experiences of the Irish and Muslim communities. “Important lessons can and must be learnt,” she says. “The Irish in Ireland faced systematic violation of their human rights in order to suppress their opposition to the colonial domination of their country by Britain. It is a remarkable fact that Ireland is the only country in Western Europe whose population is smaller today than it was 150 years ago. In 1846 the population of Ireland was more than eight million today it is five million. That is perhaps the most basic indicator of the impact of famine, systematic underdevelopment and emigration, all deeply linked to the connection with Britain, on successive generations of Irish people. This explains why opposition to colonialism has such deep roots amongst Irish people. At the same time, Irish people in this country also faced violations of their human rights with the basic objective of intimidating them from engaging in political activity in opposition to the colonial domination of their country.”
“With regard to the Muslim community, it is no coincidence that successive waves of Islamophobia have coincided with the United States project of re-colonising the Middle East – starting with invasion of Iraq.”
[4]
http://www.waronwant.org/?lid=9331
"Israel continues to reject all international calls on it to respect the human rights of the Palestinian people and in these circumstances there can be no justification for offering Israeli goods preferential treatment in the European Union, let alone arms sales to Israel."
[5] Muslim Scholar's Visa Revoked, 17 Dec 2005.
http://www.redhotcurry.com/archive/news/2004/muslim_scholar.htm
"The withdrawal of Tariq Ramadan's visa is a de facto attack on academic freedom in the U.S.A and it appears to send a signal to Muslims all over the world that their respected academics and scholars are not welcome in the US."
Sarah Teather (Lib-Dem)
Summary
Sarah Teather
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LIBERAL DEMOCRAT
Brent East |
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Voting History ( MP from 19 September 2003 - present )
Anti-Terror Laws
Voted against the Renewal of the law allowing indefinite detention without charge, without trial (Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 - Renewal of Part 4 sections 21-23 - 3 Mar 2004)
Votes against Control orders – house arrests (Prevention of Terrorism Bill - Third Reading - 28 Feb 2005)
Early Day Motions
Islamophobia
Did not sign EDM on Call for BBC to sack Kilroy-Silk for his racist comments. (EDM 383, 08.01.04)
Halal Meat
Did not sign EDM on Call for the government to work actively to end religious slaughter in the UK (EDM 104, 26.11.03)
Hijab
Supports the Call for UK & EU partners to protest France's ban on religious symbols in schools. (EDM 461, 21.01.04)
Israel
Supports Call for suspension of EU-Israel Association Agreement which gives Israel preferential trade terms with the EU. (EDM 1288, 26.05.04)
Supports Call for sanctions against Israel for not complying with the International Court of Justice decision on the illegality of the separation wall.(EDM 162, 24.11.04)
US
Did not sign EDM exposing double standards in US foreign policy regarding terrorism and democracy. (EDM 664, 04.02.05)
Election Survey:
Questionnaire not returned.
If you live in this constituency we request that you email our sample letter to this candidate asking them to respond - its your right to know what your candidate stands for. Failure to respond may be interpreted as a candidates unwilling to clarify his or her real position and a disregard for the concerns of Muslim constituents.
Other Information
Sarah Teather was elected in a sensational by-election victory in 2003 taking a Labour stronghold with a swing of 29% from Labour to Lib-Dem. The victory has been attributed to anti-war masses dumping Labour, in particular the sizable Muslim vote which Labour had taken for granted.
Sarah Teather has not forgotten those who helped her to victory, as her voting record shows she has voted against all anti-terror legislation and in her speeches in parliament [2] she has called for an end to trade agreements between the EU and Israel and for sanctions to be placed on Israel.
She has given her support to the campaign against the hijab ban in France. On the Hijab Protest Day demonstration outside the french embassy her message of solidarity was read out to the crowds.[3]
In parliament she has raised the issue of islamophobia. During the debate on Muslim Communities she talked of lack of justice for Muslims in the courts. [4]
In parliament she has raised the cause of those held in Guantanamo Bay and Belmarsh. She actively campaigned for the release of
Guantanamo prisoner Martin Mubanga, who is from Brent, and after his release (Feb 2005) she is continuing the campaign for the release of another Guantanamo prisoner from Brent - Jamil el-Banna who is a
political
refugee from Jordan who had lived in the UK for 11 years.[1]
[1] Guantanamo - Its not over yet, by Sarah Teather, 26 Jan 2005
http://www.sarahteather.libdems.org.uk/articles/26.html
"... it is quite a different situation for another Brent resident who won't be returning from Guantanamo with Martin. Jamil el-Banna is a Jordanian refugee who had lived here for 11 years. His wife has applied for British nationality. His children were all born here. Despite this, the Government say that they won't help Jamil because he's not British. They say that it's Jordan's responsibility. But if our Government accept that Jamil was fleeing persecution from Jordan, how can they in good conscience leave negotiations for his return to that same country?
I have asked Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary, about this a number of times. He has, disgracefully, just washed his hands of Jamil. The Government must accept that they have a moral responsibility to help. They gave him protection from Jordanian mistreatment only to abdicate responsibility when faced with American mistreatment.."
[2] House of Commons, speech on Foreign Affairs by Sarah Teather, 24 Nov 2004:
"..we must call for the strongest possible action against Israel. I know that my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for North-East Fife (Sir Menzies Campbell) has called elsewhere for the special EU trading agreements to be withdrawn, as a possible sanction, but we must look at all options to ensure that Israel withdraws from the occupied territories."
[3] http://www.inminds.co.uk/hijab-protest.html#teather
"When Muslim women are told not to wear the hijab they are losing part of their freedom.. We must respect and uphold difference not bully people into conformity... I shall do all that I can to bring attention to this issue and I call upon politicians at all levels to work with the Muslim community to bring an end to this unjust ruling"
[4] 22 June 2004 - Debate on Muslim Communities
http://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2004-06-22.301.1&s=iraq+speaker%3A11350#g315.0
"When Muslims are tried in a court of law, there is a widespread feeling that justice is not done in an even-handed way. Following the appalling riots in Bradford in 2001, the Institute of Race Relations found a huge discrepancy between the sentences handed out to the Manningham rioters and those handed out to rioters from a neighbouring estate. It was concerned that the sentences were designed not to reflect "the severity of each individual's actions" but "to discipline an entire community".
Kwasi Kwarteng
(Tory)
Summary
Kwasi Kwarteng
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CONSERVATIVE
Brent East |
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Voting History/Early Day Motions
Not Applicable
Election Survey:
Questionnaire not returned.
If you live in this constituency we request that you email our sample letter to this candidate asking them to respond - its your right to know what your candidate stands for. Failure to respond may be interpreted as a candidates unwilling to clarify his or her real position and a disregard for the concerns of Muslim constituents.
Other Information
None. (cross awarded for party policy)
Shahrar Ali (Green)
Summary
Shahrar Ali
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GREEN
Brent East |
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Voting History/Early Day Motions
Not applicable.
Election Survey:
Questionnaire not returned.
If you live in this constituency we request that you email our sample letter to this candidate asking them to respond - its your right to know what your candidate stands for. Failure to respond may be interpreted as a candidates unwilling to clarify his or her real position and a disregard for the concerns of Muslim constituents.
Other Information
No information available.
Conclusions
We feel that Sarah Teather has kept the promises she was elected on and has represented the Muslims of Brent East exceptionally well during the 18 months she has been their MP. We see no reason why Muslims should abandon her now just because some of the other parties are fielding Muslim candidates against her.
Its interesting to note that when Brent East was regarded a safe Labour seat none of the parties chose Muslim candidates. In fact the opposite was true - last year a scandal broke revealing that the Labour party were blocking anti-war Muslims from becoming MP's because they might "undermine" the party.[3]
In regards to Yasmin Qureshi, we feel she is a strong candidate and would liked to have seen her stand in one of the other London constituencies - for example Brent South which has a larger Muslim population (12.4%) than Brent East, no doubt the Labour party mischief machine had some part to play in pitting Yasmin Qureshi against Sarah Teather.
[1]
Labour 'blocking Muslims', Kamal Ahmed, The Observer 15 Feb 2004.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/politics/story/0,6903,1148719,00.html
[2] Qureshi triumphs as Labour overturn 'stich-up', blink 25 Feb 2004
http://www.blink.org.uk/print.asp?key=2984
[3] Even the Commission for Racial Equality got involved when it was revealed that Shahid Malik, who was anti-war, was blocked from standing as Labour candidate for Brent East even though his local constituency party members felt he was the best choice.[1] Popular local deputy mayor Ashamed Shahzad, who secured the second-highest number of nominations (after Shahid Malik), was also kept off the final shortlist of four. The final approved list comprised of Yasmin Qureshi, Robert Evans (who had lost to Sarah Teather) [5], ex-counciller Jan Etienne, and trade union official Raj Jethwa. After her selection, which again was marred by underhanded tactics being deployed against her[4], Yasmin Qureshi closed ranks and defended the party: "The allegation of racism was never something I ever said or believed. It is annoying and quite unacceptable.."[2]
[4] Labour loser to elbow out black candidates, blink 16 Feb 2004
http://www.blink.org.uk/pdescription.asp?key=2959&grp=66&cat=217
[5] The sinister role of
Labour's pro-Israel Paole Zion organisation
(Labour Friends of Israel) in supporting Robert Evan's nomination and Shahid Malik's exclusion was later revealed. see : Labour discord in selection of Muslim candidates, The Muslim News, by Hameed Chapman 27 Feb 2004.
Election Guide Home
* Our figures are conservative reflecting the minimal strength of the Muslim vote:
1. The Muslim population figures are taken from the 2001 census. The religion question was optional and many Muslims did not feel comfortable giving out this information if wasn't a requirement. (This writer knows of two members of his own family who did not answer this question out of fear that one day this data will be used to discriminate against them).
2. Our statistics assume only 64% of the Muslim population is of voting age (18+). This figure is much lower than the national average because the Muslim population is the youngest in the country with 34% under the age of 16 (the national average is 20% under 16). Please note that our estimates are slightly less than those given on the MCB website.
(source http://www.statistics.gov.uk)
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