My Perspective on the General Elections

The General Elections on Thursday the 6th of May 2010 had one of the highest voter turnouts in many years. With more than 44 million people turning out to vote, albeit many left disappointed as they were unable to vote, it is clear in their continued political engagement that many British people still have some faith left in politics. Maybe it was the global recession, the MP expenses scandals, the wars abroad or even the popularity of Obama in America that generated great interest in British politics again. Whatever it was, people were getting excited about voting again and even the televised political debates achieved huge viewer ratings.

The party debates gave a good indication of each leader’s personality. Gordon Brown has always had a ‘what you see is what you get’ type attitude proclaiming Labour policies as they are and not minding much about appearing ‘popular’. He has even admitted being more substance than style. Nick Clegg appeared to take an underdog approach, almost like another Obama character, showing they were the only party the British people could trust. David Cameron presented himself as a new modernist compassionate conservative in touch with 21st century Britain.

The results of the elections were surprising in some ways but unsurprising in others. The Conservatives winning most seats was generally predicted but the Liberal Democrats did not achieve as much as they had hoped. Although Labour and Gordon Brown were quite unpopular in their last term in office they were not too far behind the Conservatives showing they still have support in traditional Labour heartlands.

Personally I voted using the postal vote. As the postal vote gets sent early and must be sent off immediately, I voted for Liberal Democrats as I started to believe in Nick Clegg and his policies. However after I voted and then watched the TV political debates I found Gordon Brown quite endearing and liked his substance over style approach. I discovered that for me Brown was being realistic and Labour’s policies made more sense to me. I then regretted voting Liberal Democrats and wished I had shown support for Gordon Brown and Labour.

It seems that people’s engagement with politics is changing in Britain. This can be traced back to New Labour coming to power in 1997. The New Labour government had us believe there was a new optimism and to be hopeful about Britain again. Indeed Tony Blair and the Labour government did deliver on some of their promises. The strong economic climate, low unemployment rates, the building of new hospitals and the like helped the British people feel generally secure and comfortable with the government, in spite of an unpopular foreign policy.

As well as these policies, Tony Blair’s character and personality also grabbed people’s attention. Tony Blair had a talent to charm and convince and most people tended to believe him. He became a sort of celebrity too appearing on chat shows and showing a softer side to his personality and life. In that sense, he had the X-Factor and this personality politics helped to make Tony Blair a successful prime minister by winning three elections consecutively.

British political parties have taken note and have realised that in order to win over the British electorate personality and image is as important as party policies. Although these ideas have existed in politics before, it seems that New Labour may have made them ever more important. The attire, the personality, appearing on popular TV programmes and YouTube videos are viewed as methods to increase a party’s popularity. As a result Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Nick Clegg have learnt to play the same Blairite card or the X-Factor and become not only politicians but also characters in their own right. Whilst personality politics has been criticised in some quarters, it has arguably succeeded as a whole. Making political parties more mainstream and in line with the masses has resulted in more people engaging and responding to politics.

This new phase of politics may have attracted more people to it but in some ways it is also worrying. The government are elected to represent the electorate and therefore have a big responsibility to lead and do what is best for the country. The recession and the expenses scandal are examples and hard lessons that show that politics is quite a serious matter too. The actions that governments take have a big impact on the country and its citizens. Whilst politicians are entitled to reveal their personalities to the nation, we should not lose sight of their purpose.

Upon Friday’s results, it is clear that we are to have a new hung parliament, the first since 1974, with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats currently debating a potential partnership. Whoever finally takes on the new government role their policies will determine and shape that of the coming ten years; governing their own five year term while also determining the political direction of the following five years.  Let us hope that we can soon see the forming of a stable government that can truly work for the benefit of the British people and the nation as a whole – a government that has the X-factor in both personality and, more importantly, policies.

Zahra Latif read Law at Queen Mary, University of London, and is currently pursuing an MSc in Environmental Science Legislation and Management at Brunel University. She has a keen interest in politics and current affairs.

Why should we consider international development as an issue when voting in the 2010 General Election?

In a world of evolving social media, 24-7 news and unlimited communications, politicians are realising the importance of Generation Next.  This varied group of young people may not know it, but they make up a considerable size of the population and will play a decisive role in electing our next government.  The mainstream parties are aware of their importance and are actively seeking their electoral support, as this influential demographic contains British politics’ future movers and shakers.  For many young people, 2010 will be the first time that they will vote in a General Election.  They will consider an array of issues that will influence their ultimate choice at the polls.  The economy, education and health may be the first or only things that young people will consider when voting.  But there is one issue often than not that is neglected – international development.  Such is its neglect, even by the mainstream media, that the BBC doesn’t even list it under a separate tab for the parties and issues page of its online election coverage.  Must it be considered as a stand-alone topic? Or should it be relegated as a non-primary matter?  This article will briefly examine the aims of international development and the three main parties’ stances on it.

What is international development?

International development is a broad area and cannot be defined in detail by one sentence.  But in a generic sense it includes financial and non-financial support provided by developed nations to third world countries.  Foreign aid is not only provided during humanitarian disasters.  It is also provided on an on-going and bespoke basis to allow certain developing countries to attain external assistance to cover their basic necessities.  These efforts are undertaken to reduce the global economic inequality gap.  This is primarily done through investment in projects, focusing on education, health, peace building as well as responding to climate change and natural disasters.

Such is the importance of international development that the UK has a governmental department (DFID) dedicated to this agenda.  They work on various programmes, ranging from debt relief to regeneration.  For the period 2008/2009, they spent £5.5bn in foreign aid, which “will increase to £7.8bn by 2010/2011”.  The money is not given out on an unconditional basis and is regulated through various checks and procedures.  While DFID is committed to providing aid to the poorest of nations, as well as those in urgent need of it, they will only do so subject to “getting concrete results for the support”.  This guarantees that the investment for each country is not wasted and is going to good causes.  In recent years, they have committed themselves to achieving the UN-endorsed Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

It must be noted that non-repayable foreign aid plays an important role in acting as a mechanism for debt relief.  This is provided on a voluntary basis.  The fact of the matter is that loans provided by developed nations to third world countries are not serviceable in the short or long-term.  Their GDPs are not high enough to pay off the full debt as per their arrangements, which have created a quagmire, of debt constantly building up.  Effectively in many cases, they are barely able to make repayments on interest.  The debt crisis is so severe that “the developing world now spends $13 on debt repayment for every $1 it receives in grants”.  The money that they do pay back could have been put to better use to helping people in their own countries.  As a result, foreign aid provided as a financial grant is a necessity for third world nations, as it allows them to offset some of their overall debt.

What are the three main parties saying on international development?
Labour, Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats have all pledged to increase foreign aid to 0.7% of Gross National Income by 2013.  In terms of how this money will be spent, they have their own approaches and methodological differences.

Labour:
“We believe that everybody, no matter where they are born,
should have the same chances in life”

For an outline of Labour’s International Development agenda, you can consult the White Paper entitled Building Our Common Future.

Conservatives:
“With billions of people around the world living in poverty, we have an urgent moral and practical imperative to make our international development policy more effective”

For an outline of the Conservatives’ International Development agenda, you can consult the Green Paper entitled One World Conservatism.

Liberal Democrats:
”Liberal Democrats have always been an outward-looking party, not willing to ignore the injustices and poverty around the world when times get tough”

For an outline of the Liberal Democrats’ International Development agenda, you can consult the paper entitled Development in Downturn.

Why your vote counts

We live in a globalised society and as a consequence of this we have to act upon our collective consciences for a fairer world for all.  Neglecting this point will undermine the true interdependent nature of modern day sovereign nations.  Essentially there is a fine line between helping yourself and helping others in less fortunate circumstances.  As a result, your vote will decide Britain’s future on international development, which already affects millions of lives around the world.

Under the UK’s first-past-the-post system, your vote will make a direct difference to the MP that is elected in your constituency, rather than uniformly affecting the national result.  But it could be the difference between having an MP that actively supports international development and an MP that shuns it all together as an insignificant concern.  And if you’re not happy with the elected MP’s views on international development (or any other policy matter), you will have to wait up to five years until the next time to have a say in voting them out.

Public money is being spent on international development.  As a stakeholder in this society, you have a legitimate say in how your money is spent at home and abroad.  For many people, the best way of expressing political opinion is at the ballot box.  As a young person, it’s your duty, responsibility and right to vote – so make the most of it and acknowledge the importance of international development. In the search to better Britain, and the wider world, in the coming decade, taking a stand and using your vote is a powerful first step to change.

H M Zaheer read History and Politics at SOAS, University of London and then went on to complete a Masters degree in History at the same institution.  His postgraduate research primarily focused upon the Middle East, with specific reference to the end of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of modern day Turkey.  He is currently working in an international support role for a Legal Publisher.

What will be the outcome of 2010?

Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain that government priorities will change, public spending will be cut and bonuses will be given for failure. Sounds like business as usual.

Cynicism is not the answer, far from it. Times will be tough, that much is guaranteed but challenges can always be met face on. What is the point of this blog, some may be asking. Well the answer is that regardless of how disillusioned we become as individuals it is still important to be proactive and not reactive. It is easy to point fingers, but unless we do not take a stance, things will not change.

In the age of blaming others for our own mistakes, why we would vote for anyone in the general elections? We should vote because it is important to do so. If we do not there is a huge risk that fringe parties that cannot stand the idea of a young man of Asian origin writing a blog may gain sustainable input into the running of the Houses of Commons.

This is only one of many steps we can take as individuals who wish to contribute to a society. It is no good complaining that ethnic minority, women, Muslim, Asian and black communities are not represented enough in the high positions of power, whether that be at board level or in the corridors of power.

It is up to us as individuals and communities to take a stance and use our voices, intellects and our opinions to contribute positively to the society we serve. Not only is it in our interest to help others regardless of their faith or gender it is an obligation that we ensure that justice prevails in any shape or form.

How can we see a marked improvement in the running of the country? Well the answers are right in front of us. This can be achieved via local activism, youth participation and community engagement.

What do these terms mean? Why use these terms? The terms simply refer to the idea that young people need to take ownership of their own opinions by actively encouraging others to do positive actions. Rather than looking at the national when dealing with issues, why not ensure that the local issue is at the forefront of discussion. And finally communities need to stand up as one a take a stance on things that are not in the interest of the many but only the few.

Ultimately, whatever the outcome in the General Elections, whichever party manages to get hold of power, communities should take ownership of their own concerns and not be dictated to by external factors. With problems in society, solutions do exist and this begins with individuals standing up for their beliefs and values.

Farhat Amin is  a Youth Development Worker. He is currently delivering a mentoring project specifically for young Muslims in order to increase the skills of a community that is continually striving for recognition.

Optimism is the first step to changing Britain by 2020

The pessimists among us say Britain is heading towards economic and political decline, in the wake of the credit crunch that brought our financial system to its knees and the growing threat of the far right in recent elections. Nowadays there is a big difference between what people would prefer to see happen in the next ten years and what they feel might actually happen. But unless we are optimistic about the future, we cannot start building a better one. Our hopes are what will make the difference. Here are my hopes for where I want Britain to be by 2020.

Firstly, we must decrease the gap between the rich and the poor, which has continued to grow for decades despite our country having one of the wealthiest economies in the world. It doesn’t matter how many millionaires we have if millions of our people are poor, because we are all worse off as a result. The national minimum wage was a good first step but we need to go further. By 2020 I hope the government will have introduced a national living wage that guarantees everyone a decent standard of living, and increased taxes on those who earn the highest wages so those who earn the lowest wages do not have to pay tax at all.

Secondly, we need to develop a common civic identity based on the principle that we should treat others as we would wish to be treated ourselves. We must continue to defend racial and religious minorities from discrimination in the media, the workplace and everyday life. But we cannot forget that, whatever our background, we all live in the same country. No society that lets people of different backgrounds live isolated from each other can last long. Part of the reason the far right have been successful is that many feel it no longer means any one thing to be British. By 2020 I hope individuals and community groups will have found a way for people to celebrate their differences and also say, we are British and we are one nation.

Thus, if we aspire to enjoin the good and forbid the evil in our society, we must seek the change, take the lead, and make it happen. It will take compassion for those less fortunate, understanding what unites as well as divides us, and optimism that no matter how bad things may seem right now, there is still time to change our situation.

H M Zaheer read History and Politics at SOAS, University of London and then went on to complete a Masters degree in History at the same institution.  His postgraduate research primarily focused upon the Middle East, with specific reference to the end of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of modern day Turkey.  He is currently working in an international support role for a Legal Publisher.

I was fortunate enough not long ago to be invited to join a bunch of cool Muslim students out on camp who were socially and spiritually nourishing themselves off Snowdonia’s peaks and crisp air.  The pleasant young gentlemen (I consider myself a ripe student-elder) could cook well, hike and even (when asked) give an excellent rendition of the Maori Haka.  But take a look at the bigger picture and they represent an exciting future for Britain, presenting a trailer for the decade ahead.  They are united, diverse religiously, culturally, socially and politically, they were able to discuss how universal concepts of justice actually are, and between them you could formulate more than a patchwork of social reform.

Many of the students sat in front of me, I thought, are tomorrow’s leaders. Planting Britain’s seeds of change today, and whose harvest will be palpable 10 years from now, God willing.  And there are lots of them around the country.  Shoring up our collective ability to lead activity and discussion on campus with confidence will, God willing, go a long way to leading discussion in society and creating opportunities for change.  In the civic arena as well as the political.

Young people have been entrusted with creating ripples of political change for generations.  This has been married with freedom to express and discuss, particularly on our campuses.  A trip to the Main Debating Hall at the University of Manchester’s Student Union leaves you standing on the same platform that Malcolm X stood on 50 years before.  You may struggle to fathom New Labour’s lynchpin Jack Straw once as a left-wing Student Union President leading an occupation of buildings at Leeds University in protest at his University.  Internationally, look no further than the role of students at the University of Sobonne in 1968 and even Iran more recently.  And amidst mass political apathy of recent history, early 2009 saw a wave of sit-ins across campuses in the UK protesting against the Israeli invasion of Gaza and to make their Universities disinvest from the arms trade.

These are strong headline examples that I use to demonstrate students potential – an inspection of campuses today demonstrates pragmatic and equally energetic campaigns, especially on Higher Education Funding and against the fascist-right, as well as student welfare and climate change.  Palestine is not forgotten, and will not be by students.  Members of Parliament are beginning to be held to account too by students, a necessary step to reinvigorate real political debate ahead of the next general election.  Muslim students today find themselves increasingly at the forefront of diverse campaigns, and whilst much progress remains to be done, the Muslim representation at the student level is far ahead of the national political picture for Muslim-representation.  In the civic arena, “Charity Week” led by Islamic Societies showed how students between them could raise a staggering £350,000 in a single week in aid of orphans.  Community projects have resulted in student-led feed-the-homeless campaigns.  Around the country students recently opened doors to each other, united through multi-faith collaboration, and I have seen visits to schools by University students to share experiences and act as brilliant role models.

But then there’s something extra for the young Muslim – it’s about knowing that God does nothing in vain and that our being young Muslims at this critical juncture in history has a purpose as part of a divine plan.  As a scholar reminded me, the deeper our understanding of that plan the deeper our realisation the tremendous responsibility we shoulder.

We, the young Muslims, are the products of the experiences and challenges of our forefathers. With our faith as well, we now have something very special to bring to the table.  So it’s crucial that the Muslim youth are empowered and trusted: for we are the future.  And as for my fellow students, I encourage us all to get involved where we can – doing something we enjoy; there is something for us all.

In our principles I believe it is important to think of citizenship now – it is Islamic to be active in your debating society and your Student Union and upon universal issues just as it is Islamic to be active in your Islamic Society and fighting the cause of Palestine.  Values of justice and the seeking of the truth aren’t just for Muslims – they are seeking values of justice and the seeking of truth for entire mankind.  People like Usman Ali, a seasoned NUS campaigner for fairer University funding for future generations of students, or Nizam Uddin, President of University London Union, prove theory in action.  It’s about respecting diversity too – it is Islamic to be left as it is to be right.  It’s about loving Muslims, and loving your country, the good and bad of both.

Back to Snowdonia, and together we realised that the worst we can do is waste our time.  The best we can do is envision change; improve ourselves, help improve mankind’s reality and help ourselves get closer to God.

Nabil Ahmed is Vice-President Student Affairs of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS).  His work actively seeks to empower Muslim students towards a culture of civic and political participation, represent the interests of Muslim students nationally, conduct research and serve welfare needs.  He graduated in summer 2008 from the University of Manchester with a degree in Management with International Studies BSc.  He has also worked nationally for the National Union of Students, and locally with diverse grassroots organisations.

Why should British Muslims bother with wider society and the political system?

In a post 9/11 world, it is fairly easy for British Muslims to feel more polarised and ostracised from wider society.  Such a mindset is not surprising, especially with the heightened levels of stereotyping and shocking hate crimes that have been committed against Muslims.  Does this consequently mean that it is correct for British Muslims to instantaneously react by being more insular and inward to the on-goings around them? 

Definitely not.  The aforementioned climate of paranoia does not justify us becoming political hermits and shying away from society or the political system.  On the contrary, we have a civic duty to reach out to those outside of our religious community and work with them to build a better Britain for all.  Undeniably, a significant Muslim population has existed in the UK for decades and currently is the largest religious minority group in the country.  We have no valid excuse to shirk our collective responsibility of participating positively in public life.  No interaction (at all) with our neighbours and fellow citizens is completely unacceptable.  We need to end the “parallel universe” and “ghetto mentality” culture, which is in existence among certain British Muslims.  This pseudo state of being is unhealthy for any religious or secular group, as it enhances divides and creates unnecessary barriers.  Having said that, it is understandable for many of our coreligionists to be tentative with excessive wider communal engagement, due to personal or religious reasons.  In fact, who can blame them?  Serious problems exist with our current political system, which has fuelled apathy and disillusionment, among British Muslims – as well as non-Muslims.

The UK’s first-past-the-post electoral system is supposed to ensure that MPs have a direct link with their constituents.  However, the majority of votes at the 2005 General Election were “wasted”, as they went to those candidates that did not get elected.  For example, a noticeable number of MPs were elected with less than 40% of the overall vote from their own constituency.  Meaning that the votes of approximately 6 in 10 people (in some constituencies) went wasted against the actual elected candidate.  What’s fair and democratic about that?  With the current setup, a significant number of people vote instead for the person they dislike the least, rather than the person they prefer the most.  Moreover at the 2005 General Election, in “safe seat” constituencies, many people didn’t even bother to vote as they knew that their vote would not make a difference in influencing the outcome.  The highlighted negativity only reaffirms the evident systematic flaws (without even mentioning the farce with MPs’ expenses and ID cards).  This is complemented by the unbelievable fact that registered political parties do not have to be constitution bound to be internally democratic.  Even when they give their members a chance to have a say, i.e. leadership elections, the members are often undermined by the excessive influence of their party’s MPs.

So much for “by the people and for the people”.  To make matters worse, we have no right to “recall” our MP, if he or she goes against the promises that they were elected upon.  This is a cause for concern and is further highlighted by the fact that we are essentially governed by an unwritten constitution and a parliament with no fixed time period, which only generates political uncertainty.  Such an imbalanced relationship is not helped with British politics being heavily centralised, with real power primarily concentrated at the centre, away from the majority of tax-paying citizens.  It is no wonder that people have either given up in participating or are seeking alternatives.  The status quo must be changed.  But how?

Political reform is the common sense solution to a lot of the domestic political woes we face today, and British Muslims are all too well aware of it.  Nevertheless, despite our community being genuine stakeholders in British society and politics, we can be prone to unsurprising bouts of pessimism.  On the one hand we want to bring about change for a healthier society and democracy, but on the other we may be uninterested in taking a direct role.  Perhaps we need more information?

In this General Election year, many “campaigns for change” are gaining in prominence.  One grassroots campaign stands out – Power2010.  It is not-for-profit and has a unique agenda, which is 100% bottom-up, truly by the people and for the people.  The people have a direct say in what they think is wrong with politics, without the politicians dictating it to us.  Thousands of ideas were sent in by the public, which were then shortlisted to 29 proposals, after an open and representative consultation process (via a deliberative poll).  Then, tens of thousands of people from across the country voted on the reforms that they thought were most needed.  The top 5 became a part of the final Power2010 Pledge.  This final phase is currently in session.  People across the UK are now being encouraged to sign the pledge.  Why?  As the support of all in our society (including British Muslims) is imperative throughout the Power2010 campaign.  With people power backing the Pledge, Power2010 will lobby every candidate and MP that is standing at this year’s General Election and get them to also back it.  This means that candidates and MPs who support it will have a public commitment to “clean up and reform our politics”.  It will ensure that the next parliament is made up of MPs that will be more focused in fixing the current system.

I encourage you all to sign the Power2010 pledge and encourage your friends, family and community leaders to also sign it.  In fact, why not get involved yourself?  If you are passionate in helping Power2010 achieve their stated goals, simply contact them and offer your assistance.  On a final note, you don’t need me telling you what is right or wrong with our political system and society.  You can decide that for yourself, with your own initiative.  Therefore, if you want to see real change in this decade (and beyond), you know that ignoring the issues at hand will not be of any purpose.  Stand up and make a difference as a Muslim, as well as a British citizen.

H M Zaheer read History and Politics at SOAS, University of London and then went on to complete a Masters degree in History at the same institution.  His postgraduate research primarily focused upon the Middle East, with specific reference to the end of the Ottoman Empire and the formation of modern day Turkey.  He is currently working in an international support role for a Legal Publisher. Further information regarding Power 2010 can be found at http://www.power2010.org.uk/

At first sight the question sounds trivial. Who would choose to be powerless? Many though have no choice but to remain politically powerless. Around the world, millions live under dictatorships where power is jealously guarded by the few. Any attempt to produce change can result in imprisonment or death.

In contrast, we live in one of the freest societies on Earth, where power is dispersed and readily available to those who seek it.

Despite this, looking at the Muslim community today, one sees a community that has relatively little political power. Muslims are just over 4% of the population. As there are 646 members of Parliament, 4% would represent over 25 MPs, yet there are only 4 Muslim MP’s today. Conversely, the Jewish community represents about 0.5% of the population, yet the Jewish Chronicle newspaper has printed a list of 52 Jewish MPs. Mathematically, these statistics mean that on a per person basis the Jewish community has 104 times the political influence of the Muslim community!

Simply railing against government policies is a sign of powerlessness, and of itself changes nothing. Changing government policies takes time, effort and strategic thinking. There is a long list of actions open to all citizens, some very easy and others more difficult.

Voting

Politicians need votes to gain office.

Imagine if you could guarantee to all politicians that you would never vote under any circumstances. Immediately, you would have made yourself electorally irrelevant; no politician need care ever again about what you think or feel since you are never going to vote.

Instead, the first step towards becoming politically relevant is to vote in every election, and even more importantly make it clear to every politician you speak to that you will vote, depending on how you assess the issues, and that your vote cannot be taken for granted. In general elections, about half of the people do not vote. That means the government is chosen by the rest, who do vote.

Writing letters

Politicians and newspaper editors do pay attention to letters they receive and are influenced by both the quantity of letters received and by their quality.

The more effort you put into writing a polite, clear and well crafted letter, the more impact it will have. I have twice spent several hours composing a one-page letter to a national newspaper editor to complain about an article; the reward for the effort was receiving a letter of apology from the editor.

One caution is not to use email; it is too easy to ignore.

A paper letter that you have printed, signed, paid for to be posted, and physically gone to the letter box to post has far more impact than an email where you spent 30 seconds cutting and pasting someone else’s text before pressing “send.” The paper letter sits on the politician’s desk until he chooses to ignore it or respond. Most of the time you will get a reply. No matter how curt or deadpan the reply, you will have made your point.

Joining a mainstream political party

This is the single most important thing that any citizen can do to increase his or her political power.

The price in money is very low. When I last checked, the minimum subscription was £38 pa for the Labour Party, £25 pa for the Conservative Party and £10 pa for the Liberal Democratic Party. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland the local or nationalist parties are also valid choices. Under our “first past the post” electoral system, joining any other political party means choosing to be powerless, since those other parties have no realistic prospect of national or local power.

The time commitment afterwards is up to you, and can be as little as attending one meeting every five years. That is the meeting at which candidates for the general election are selected. It is the political parties that decide who gets onto the ballot paper, and usually every party member in a constituency is entitled to vote in the selection process.

Being active inside a political party

This involves no more money, but will require time being spent on activities such as delivering leaflets and attending internal party meetings. In return, you can rise in the party hierarchy.

It is activists who form the short listing panel which interviews aspirant candidates to select those who go forward to be voted on by all the party members in a constituency. If you become the chairman of the constituency party association, you can be sure that the MP will answer his or her phone when you ring!

Recruiting others

You can do all of the above by single citizens acting alone.

However it becomes easier, and the impact is greater, if you can get other people such as your friends and relatives to join you. For example, if you want to get elected as chairman of the constituency party association, you will need some votes in your favour. (Often surprisingly few votes, since many constituencies have very few party members in them.)

What can be achieved?

In a few months or even a few years, increased activism may achieve relatively little.

However if you want to see how much can be achieved by focused effort over many years, you need look no further than the influence of the pro-Israel lobby in the USA (documented in the book, The Israel lobby and US foreign policy by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt) and in the UK.

Muslims will not achieve that level of influence overnight; it will take decades. However, every step forward, every individual who joins a party, makes a difference. Never underestimate how much impact even one person can have. The choice to have some power or to remain powerless is yours.

Where will the Muslim community be in 10 years time?

The American baseball player and manager, Casey Stengel, said that predictions should always be avoided, especially about the future! I have no more power to predict the future than any other person. However, with application, in the course of a decade Muslims could transform their representation within political parties, including roles such as constituency party chairmen, and be well on their to dramatically increasing their representation in Parliament.

Finally, remember Plato’s quote: “Men who refuse to be involved in politics are condemned to be governed by those less worthy than themselves.”

Mohammed Amin has lived in the UK for over 55 years, and is the Chair of the Business & Economics Committee of the Muslim Council of Britain and Vice Chairman of the Conservative Muslim Forum. He believes passionately that it is the duty of citizens in a democratic society to engage in politics.

Mohammed Amin is writing in a personal capacity and his views should not be attributed to any of the organisations with which he is affiliated.

I’m out with my flag
strapped to my backpack
and I’m staring
again at the Houses that have given up caring
When is my voice gonna be heard?
When will my government learn that
We’re cursed?
Sitting on a moral debt
while the economic one gets worse, How
can we crawl out of this
gain face once again
It’s as though we threw our own name in the mud again –
Didn’t we learn from the past that laws based on hate can never create peace,
history is fact.
I’ve got my mob behind me
a darkened patch
A cloud of anger, buzzing hate,
Sick of the wait -
It’s been years
of fighting this machine, my screams, who’s listening to ME?

Wait…Stop
Hold the anger, stop the rush
I’m yelling and I’m screaming and all I’m getting is hush?
What’s going on?
Why can’t I make a change?
No matter how hard I try
to get my message on a page, “they”
won’t listen.
Maybe…I should stop and listen
to myself? What exactly am I saying? I want -
Safety and autonomy for my family, I want -
us to be free but,
I  wanna be safe and I want a voice to speak but I don’t
wanna be spoken to in a way with which I don’t agree – what am I asking for?
I want world peace
Democracy overseas and change – change?
But I have all these things the Great
Charter trickled down from 1215 into my life and set us all free, wait -
Maybe what I have to do is open my mind
Open myself to the sound of my own voice
What I want is tolerance, love and culture -
I want our country to have a love for the colours of others –
How will the government achieve that?
It won’t…If I wanna be happy
with the country that I’ve got
I’ve gotta make it myself
Stop acting like it’s “their” fault
Step down
Build Britain from below
No act of parliament could tell me what I already know
I wanted change…I need to BE the change I want
The government’s got me, it’s doing what it can,
Fighting a threat that’s close at hand but what
am I doing to make my country better?
What kind of message am I hurling at the minister?
Mr B, what’s the point in blaming it on you?
When really you’ve done all you can do
The parliament’s been trying to improve since day one
But isn’t it time my own revolution begun?
It’s time for change and change I see
Isn’t gonna start in Downing street
Now I realise the need to take my own voice and point it straight back to me.
The last ten years of pointless anger at the system,
Crowds and rallies – we were all on a personal mission but -
No.
The next ten years should be anger at US for NOT opening our mind to others,
NOT opening our homes to those that need us
– even complete strangers –
I need to revive myself
Start with myself
Before I can come to the edges of the gates of democracy
And throw myself
At the Parliament’s feet
Complaining
Angrily waiting
For change

Because it has to start with me.

Basmah Saqib is a student of Law at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. An ardent enthusiast of poetry, including the works of Lord Byron and John Keats, she has composed poetry for many years, taking influence from these writers and usually employing an archaic style, an element she has deviated from in this particular contribution. Her work has won her numerous awards including, more recently, the UK-wide Young Muslims Talent Competition.

I was eighteen years old and had recently finished my A-Levels. The tragic events of  7/7 had just happened. I was angry. Why would these people do this to their fellow citizens? What sort of belief motivated them? It certainly wasn’t mine or any of the Muslims I knew. But it suddenly dawned on me; there was nobody I could tell. I was born and had lived my whole life in one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, and yet I didn’t have relationships with anyone that was not like me in some way. I had no non-Muslim friends.

It wasn’t because I didn’t want these relationships. It wasn’t because I had avoided them. I had simply never had the opportunity. I had been to Islamic schools throughout my educational career thus far, and my mosque and community had provided me with all the social networks and support that I needed. I saw no reason for it being any other way. I was very wrong.

The reality is that many of our Muslim communities are in a similar position. Different communities have arrived and developed differently throughout the twentieth and twenty first century. But many (not all of course) have a similar trajectory. They work towards setting themselves up, eventually developing a centre, and providing the services their community needs. There is nothing wrong with this of course. But in doing so, they begin to isolate themselves from the rest of British society. In some ways, the larger and stronger the community, the more isolated it becomes. It begins to provide everything an individual member may need. Your teacher is a Muslim, your dentist is a Muslim, and your butcher is a Muslim.

The concept of community is fundamental to Muslim life, one that I am not attempting to challenge here. But there must be a way to avoid the isolation that comes with it. Some mosques have open weeks where they invite their neighbours and the public. Others engage in interfaith dialogue with other faiths and traditions. These initiatives are good, but they are, in my opinion, very limited. They begin building relationships on the fact that we are different, and do not really engage people’s interests or similarities. Instead, I have found a better answer: community organising.

In 1950s America a man named Saul Alinsky walked the slums of Chicago bringing different communities together and getting them to work on making their neighbourhoods better places. Seventy years later, the model now known as “community organising” has spread throughout the United States and beyond. It has become even more popular since the rise of a community organiser to the Presidency of the United States of America, Barack Obama. But how can community organising affect the Muslim communities in the UK now?

Community organising is about bringing different groups together and getting them to work on the common issues that affect them. . It begins not by the fact that communities are different, but that they are similar; they are made up of citizens with common issues and problems that they need to deal with. It is through this process that meaningful relationships are built between the communities. If we think about it for a second, the real relationships we have with people who are not necessarily from our tradition usually come as a result of a shared experience. They are our classmates or work colleagues or people who we’ve had a common endeavour with. Community organising provides this shared experience. At the same time it does not undermine the identity of the individual community. It recognises it, respects it, and works to develop the capacity and leadership of individual communities to bring about change. A stronger community makes for a stronger alliance of communities.

If all this sounds a little bit abstract, then we merely need to look at the example of London Citizens, the largest alliance of communities in the country that uses the community organising model. It consists of over 140 communities in membership, working on issues of low-wages, safer streets, affordable housing, and the overall role of civil society in democratic governance. They allow communities to engage as citizens and bring about change to their neighbourhoods. Most importantly, they provide communities with the opportunity to engage with others and build meaningful relationships without losing their identity. It is time for Muslim communities to engage.

Mousa Baraka read Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the University of Oxford, before completing a Masters in International Politics at SOAS. He has previously worked in the post-2003 Iraqi government. He is now a senior community organiser with citizens:mk.

Can Muslims be accomodated into Britain- ten years and beyond?

Muslims are not the first religious and cultural minority to seek accommodation within the category ‘British’. There has always been cultural, linguistic, ethnic and religious diversity in Britain. The official public accommodation of this diversity within the definition of the nation has depended on different forces: the social and political power of the group that is seeking accommodation; the relationship between the domestic and the international context; as well as access to socio-economic wealth.

Looking back on the last ten years, the task of accommodating British Muslims has been made more difficult by the combination of international and domestic politics. The events of 9/11 in New York and the 7/7 bombs in London led to an unprecedented interest in whether Muslims can be ‘British’. One consequence has been to exaggerate the role of ‘cultural and religious difference’ as a cause of the bombings of July 7. Religious differences between British Muslims and other Britons (e.g. the wearing of the nikab) have been converted into entrenched ideological differences –  a clash of civilisations – that is beyond political debate and negotiation.

Although leading politicians and public figures have been leading the field as critics of multiculturalism and reviving the debate about ‘Britishness’ as a bulwark against security risks, it is significant that one leading political thinker, John Gray, has reached the opposite conclusion. He observes that, “The attempt to create a liberal monoculture, which many commentators have urged, founders on the fact of diversity. The fantasy of a morally cohesive society has inspired some of the worst types of repression. It is ironic that a panicky reaction against the idea of multiculturalism should have engendered a liberal variant of this dream. The reality is that we cannot hope to share many of our fundamental values. But we can still rub along together, if we can relearn the habit of tolerance.¹

Looking forward to the next ten years, there are a number of key priorities that can facilitate the task of accommodating British Muslims. First, and foremost, the primary responsibility falls on those with the greatest power – state agencies. National legal and political institutions, as well as key public bodies and local authorities, need to put into place legal and policy frameworks that deliver political, social and economic equality for British Muslims. Second, media and public figures, both Muslims and non-Muslims, should engage in this debate critically but with a greater awareness that the words and images about Islam and Muslims that they introduce into the public sphere may encourage the harms of prejudice, discrimination and social exclusion.

Third, and finally, there is an urgent need for an internal critical debate. One consequence of the external criticism of British Muslims since 9/11 and 7/7 has been to reduce the space for an internal critical dialogue about greater equality for British Muslim women or responding to Muslim youth. Whilst it is true that the public space for this internal critique will depend on international events in the Muslim world, it is also the case that this domestic debate cannot be indefinitely suspended. Ultimately, British Muslims may have very little control over how state institutions, the media or public figures respond to them. They do, however, have control over how they organise and build their community institutions. The challenge, after all, is not just about the next ten years; it is about how to safeguard a prosperous – and permanent – future for British Muslims.

Maleiha Malik is Reader in Law at the School of Law, King’s College University of London. Her research and teaching interests include Discrimination Law. Her recent relevant publications include ‘Anti-Muslim Prejudice in the West = Past and Present,’ published by Routledge, 2010.