Jahangir Mohammed offers reasons why Muslims and non-Muslims needed an independent and alternative party movement at this UK general election.
General Elections: Independents And Alternative Party Movement – Is it Needed?
The Ayaan Institute’s vision for Muslim minorities in the UK is that of an independently organised community, generating political power outside of mainstream political parties and Parliament.
Politics is not about voting it is about power. Those with political power dominate political life, not the voters. It is impossible to generate that power inside the existing political parties and Parliament that seeks integration into party visions, policies, agendas, language, and the system. Inside political parties, MPs are loyal to the party machine, its leader, policies, and the status quo. They are effectively political prisoners or hostages to the party and establishment, even the most radical of them. The British left has tried to achieve change inside the Labour Party several times and failed. There is then a consensus politics (and policies) shaped and promoted by the main parties and mainstream media which the establishment defends until it can no longer do so or is compelled to change.
However, political change has taken place throughout British history via groups and movements that organise, develop a powerful voice, mobilise, and generate power outside the system, which has resulted in major changes in party policies and then laws in Parliament. For example, the abolition of slavery, many changes in welfare/education, the labour movement and trade unions led to the creation of the Labour Party, the Zionist movement which led to the creation and maintenance of the state of Israel, the women’s movement and rights, the public revolt against the poll tax under Thatcher, the LGBT movement and rights, and more recently the Brexit movement and leaving the European Union. Moreover, there are many other means of engaging in effective politics (which is a discussion for another day).
Sometimes momentous events provide historic opportunities for political change and achieving political/community goals. Those opportunities must be grasped and involve taking risks. Such key events have shaped Muslim political life in Britain previously.
The Hamas attacks against Israel on October 7th, and the ongoing livestreaming of the mass slaughter of Palestinian people is an event where no decent moral human being can be silent, even if we might not be able to stop it from within the UK. Sadly, our main political parties have been too silent and even appeased or openly supported the state of Israel in its actions, leading to grotesque crimes against humanity. This historical moment has provided a unique opportunity for political mobilisation and change and enhanced independent community development. For far too long the development of an independently organised Muslim community and politics has been hampered by the attachment of Muslims to the Labour Party and hitching its political progression and goals to it. That link must be broken.
Here I summarise my opinion as to why I believe that the movement for Independent and Alternative party candidates in British politics is needed by communities. I have already shared those views in many public and private forums since October 2023. My thinking has never been about using it to punish Labour to reinforce a mainstream party political and minority representational approach to the Muslim community. A strategy emanating from the race relations industry and Operation Black Vote. This is primarily about minority voter engagement, appearance representation, and integration into mainstream parties has never been my politics. Having Black people and Muslims speaking the same language and adopting the same policies with the same mindset does not lead to real change for communities. It is about assimilation not diversity of thought or politics. As the past 40 years have shown it also does not lead to meaningful policy changes for minorities in a majoritarian-based system and does not effectively tackle racist and anti-Muslim politics.
Instead, my politics is about achieving strategic independent community and political goals for Muslims and wider non-Muslim communities ( the Muslim Ummah in the UK and the non-Muslim Ummah in the UK).
- First, October 7th and its aftermath provided a means to challenge the narrative dominance and political discourse of Israel’s propaganda war machine over the three main British political parties, all of whom are committed to the cause of Zionism and Jewish supremacy. This unravelling was already taking place organically. To then have an election where the establishment and consensus would dominate the debate with their pro-Zionist/Israel narrative at the doorstep and in the media would have reversed any gains made. Muslims would have remained on the sidelines.
- Whether a candidate wins or loses, the election has provided a unique opportunity to put the case for the Palestinian cause against the dominant narratives in every household in the country. That was too good an opportunity to miss. George Galloway’s election victory in Rochdale boosted this opportunity and gave the independent movement a huge boost. Support for independent candidates and the Workers Party, standing 326 candidates in the election, means that the pro-Palestinian, anti-imperialist, and anti-war voice will be heard in most households in the country, countering the propaganda of the mainstream media. This is already a win.
- Speaking the truth to people and power is an Islamic duty. Those who are doing this in diverse ways, especially by knocking on the doors of non-Muslims are putting themselves at risk from bigotry and abuse and are acting courageously. Having worked extensively in non-Muslim communities I know how hard that is. Many non-Muslims will be engaging with Muslims at the door for the first time. There is no harm in knocking on doors to hear about issues of the people and their conditions. Umar RA the second Khalifah of Islam would go out secretly at night to listen to the people’s complaints. The reward is according to intention and whilst there may be some individuals who may have personal or ulterior motives, most are acting sincerely for the higher cause of truth and justice. In the month of Hajj their courage and effort will Insha’Allah be rewarded.
- There is a unique opportunity to break with the control that the Labour Party exercises over the Muslim community, which has hampered the development of an independently organised Muslim community and independent politics. It has even led to the adoption of party-political language and narrative compliance at the community level. We cannot ignore the opportunity to weaken or break the link with Labour and end 40 years of servitude to this Party. We must move beyond the politics of our first generations.
- The parties manage political change and the entrance of new people from ethnic minorities and young people into politics at a generational pace. All candidates standing in elections also speak the same political language as their parties, even the Muslims. Gaining a safe seat is rare and candidates can be serving the party for 20-30 years before an opportunity for a safe win arises. Opportunities for alternative political development and learning political skills are rare for Muslims. Muslim groups either promote political disengagement or promote proximity and involvement in politics with Labour.
- Standing Independents and Alternative Party candidates is a no-lose situation. Alternative political voices and solutions can be put into the public domain. More younger people from the Muslim community can start to express their politics, gain key skills, and start speaking politically to Muslim and non-Muslim communities. There are already many talented Muslims standing as independents and Workers Party candidates, more than Labour has ever fielded in an election. From this independent politics and leaders can emerge. If, however, even a handful of candidates win seats in Parliament, free from party political chains, they can be an effective opposition voice in Parliament to consensus politics. If they do not win it is a victory for community political engagement and development.
- There is also a need for new a politics in Britain for the betterment of the whole of society. Muslim communities in the country can act as a stimulus as part of political renewal, just as Jewish communities shaped politics at the time of the emergence of the Labour movement and Party. In my assessment, the conditions are ripe in Britain for a new politics to emerge. That requires a new and different analysis and narrative and thinking outside establishment politics. That new politics will emerge organically and who knows where it will come from and lead. Therefore, I have never considered my comments about an Independent and alternative party movement as only being aimed at the Muslim community. What I believe is a good political strategy for Muslims, is also good for non-Muslims. What is certainly not good for any community in Britain now is the continued dominance of the tri-party political consensus which is failing this country.
Political change happens through challenge, opposition, direct action, and sometimes through political rebellion. That cannot take place in the main parties. The current political revolt by the Muslim community against the Labour Party, and that by the wider community against mainstream politics, will lead to changes. How and where cannot be predicted. The best we can do is guide, direct, and take political opportunities as and when they arise. As for those who say none of this will lead to any change and this is all pointless, and we should not be part of it, then the onus is on them to tell us what their strategy is what they are doing, and where it will take us.
Much of my thinking on this is already in the public domain in articles, discussions, and social media comments, and some are in the links below. Yahya Birt’s report for Ayaan “Ummah at the Margins” also discusses issues and a vision for community development for Muslim minorities.
https://www.youtube.com/live/MkL2k9gViUs
https://ayaaninstitute.com/expertise/analysis/the-people-versus-politicians-in-the-era-of-oligarchy/
https://ayaaninstitute.com/expertise/analysis/liz-truss-the-british-deep-state-and-who-runs-britain/
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