Mongols were responsible for the massacre of Muslims and anyone who joined them were thought of as traitors. Generally speaking any Muslim who joined the non-Muslim governments were thought of as traitors.
When you vote and the candidate you didn't vote for wins what happens? Nothing happens. He or She is expected to look after your concerns even though you didn't vote for him or her.
So to think that by voting we will achieve something is pure fantasy. Just recently Muslim councillors have been convicted with postal fraud. One of them has been a councillor for over 20 years what has he done for the muslim community?
What about Khalid Mahmood MP? What has he done? When asked about muslim issues he replied that muslims only make up 2% of my constituency!
Our masjids, Islamic schools, halal meat, we have achieved on our own without any government funding. Recently when govt funding has been allocated, it has been allocated with conditions. So a Masjid in London needed money for a car park so the condition was not to speak out about Iraq. The masjid complied and got their car park whereas the Ummah was fuming with anger that the masjid didnt allow discussion on the subject.
Yusuf Islam famously said the biggest mistake he made was getting govt funding.
Councillors only become councillors for personal benefit and not for the concerns of the community and that is the sad reality of our state of politics whether in the west or in the Muslim lands.
what are the chances of a conservative win tommorow? will it be considered an upset or are ppl tired of the labour party. i'm not so well informed on brit politics.
Semniole is funny. British muslims are a different breed to you Yankee ones.
And as so far as "our " views goes, speak for yourself. I for one will not be homologously categorised in a big seething dis-similar lump based on either my nationality or my religion.
Andrew “how long are my arms” Mars from the BBC reckons Tony will quit within 18 months as he’l be forced to compromise with the tories and libdem’s.
Labour have lost quite a few seats in some key area’s, like Ehsan said Bethnal Green must’ve hit them hard.
Ooooooo I love it when I see Brits squirm. All your PMs will always serve their true master the Americans not the pupets the British Subjects.
Plus the british elections are so boring, I mean American election thread on GS had pakis from landi kotal opining and was 7 pages long the british thread two and only 4 or 8 posters. My sick dog thread made it to 3 pages. That alone tells you that even American dogs have more appeal than British municipal elections.
^ That's cos the Yank Prez didn't win the first time around..and won the second time around because of a few thousand votes in Ohio (I am guessing OhioGuy marked up a few thousand )..people were angry at Tony Blair not neccessarily at the Labour party..
Blackburn was an unfortunate disappointment guys..but what was interesting was how the Lib Dems originally thought they were gonna take seats from the Tories specifically and instead made inroads in Labour areas..
Did anyone catch the Paxman versus Galloway clash..?
For anyone who missed it overnight, the tussle between George Galloway and Jeremy Paxman was one of the highlights, which came shortly after his victory over Labour’s Oona King.
JP: We’re joined now from his count in Bethnal Green and Bow by George Galloway. Mr Galloway, are you proud of having got rid of one of the very few black women in Parliament?
GG: What a preposterous question. I know it’s very late in the night, but wouldn’t you be better starting by congratulating me for one of the most sensational election results in modern history?
JP: Are you proud of having got rid of one of the very few black women in Parliament?
GG: I’m not - Jeremy - move on to your next question.
JP: You’re not answering that one?
GG: No because I don’t believe that people get elected because of the colour of their skin. I believe people get elected because of their record and because of their policies. So move on to your next question.
JP: Are you proud -
GG: Because I’ve got a lot of people who want to speak to me.
JP: - You -
GG: If you ask that question again, I’m going, I warn you now.
JP: Don’t try and threaten me Mr Galloway, please.
GG: You’re the one who’s trying to badger me.
JP: I’m not trying to badger you, I’m merely trying to ask if you’re proud at having driven out of Parliament one of the very few black women there, a woman you accuse of having on her conscience 100,000 people.
GG: Oh well there’s no doubt about that one. There’s absolutely no doubt that all those New Labour MPs who voted for Mr Blair and Mr Bush’s war have on their hands the blood of 100,000 people in Iraq, many of them British soldiers, many of them American soldiers, most of them Iraqis and that’s a more important issue than the colour of her skin.
JP: Absolutely, because you then went on to say “including a lot of women who had blacker faces than her”
GG: Absolutely right, absolutely right. So don’t try and tell me I should feel guilty about one of the most sensational election results in modern electoral history.
JP: I put it to you Mr Galloway that Nick Raynsford had you to a T when he said you were a “demagogue”.
GG: Sorry?
JP: Nick Raynsford. You know who I mean? Nick Raynsford. Labour MP?
GG: No, I don’t know who you mean.
JP: Never heard of him.
GG: I’ve never heard of Nick Raynsford, no.
JP: What else haven’t you heard of?
GG: Well, I’ve been in Parliament a long time…
JP: He was a Parliamentary colleague of yours until very recently.
GG: Well, most of them just blend one into the other, Jeremy, they’re largely a spineless, a supine bunch.
JP: Have you ever heard of Tony Banks?
GG: Yes I have, yes.
JP: Right, Tony Banks was sitting here five minutes ago, and he said that you were behaving inexcusably, that you had deliberately chosen to go to that part of London and to exploit the latent racial tensions there.
GG: You are actually conducting one of the most - even by your standards - one of the most absurd interviews I have ever participated in. I have just won an election. Can you find it within yourself to recognise that fact? To recognise the fact that the people of Bethnal Green and Bow chose me this evening. Why are you insulting them?
JP: I’m not insulting them, I’m not insulting you
GG: You are insulting them, they chose me just a few minutes ago. Can’t you find it within yourself even to congratulate me on this victory?
JP: Congratulations, Mr Galloway.
GG: Thank you very much indeed. [Waves, removes microphone]
^ In case you didnt hear Blair's speech, he acknowledged that Iraq was an issue. If everyone did what you want us to do and not vote he would have returned with a thumping majority and probably getting ready to support Bush in his future ventures. Now he wont be able to do that. He said he has listened and he will act. Contrast this with his very belligerent attitude before the elections. Good for all the people who voted.
So by staying out of the process what have you acheived.
thanks for posting that Zakk…i love Jemery Paxman’s interview style…he keeps it real, bless him. Do you remember when he asked Tony if him and Bush prayed together?
I've had to deal with local and National level politicos in Britain (and Pakistan for that matter) and you do have people who do good and you have people who do bad..like I can name several rotten Local Councillors..and I can anme some who have helped arrange Muslim burial sites, remove sectarian problems and promote interfaith issues...
In the end the one common factor is people who don't particpate in elections shouldn't whinge later on..as far as the religious argument goes that is totally unsubstantiated and is only used to justify people with a specific political agenda (it has nothing to do with religion)
MM: yeah Paxman is the best! They replayed the interview on have i got news for you...lol
I'll be well shocked if Blair is still in power this time next year. I actually pitied him last night, looks like the reality of the war has only just hit him.
B'ham annoyed me somewhat. I thought Lib Dems would get Perry Barr and Conservatives would get Edgebaston, but no such luck.
