*Thread* On the eve of the EHRC report on antisemitism in the Labour party, reform and action are urgently needed.
One place where Labour can start is Mend. Some of its people still lend this reprehensible Islamist group legitimacy. Kirk Master of Leicester, for example. 1/17
One place where Labour can start is Mend. Some of its people still lend this reprehensible Islamist group legitimacy. Kirk Master of Leicester, for example. 1/17
Mend has an awful record on antisemitism. The latest ugly episode - just this week - is typical. 2/17
thejc.com/news/uk/mend-i…
thejc.com/news/uk/mend-i…
Important as it is, there is more to this than antisemitism.
Since Kirk Master is Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, perhaps he would listen to seasoned officers who know just what Mend is?
That goes for scheduled speaker Isla Dixon of Leicestershire Police too. 3/17
Since Kirk Master is Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner, perhaps he would listen to seasoned officers who know just what Mend is?
That goes for scheduled speaker Isla Dixon of Leicestershire Police too. 3/17
Former Met commander Mak Chishti, for example, who is a Muslim.
This is Chishti's impassioned call in The Times to take Mend on, in the name of nothing less than Islam. He is right: don't be fooled by feigned piety as a shield for divisive and dangerous Islamist politics. 4/17
This is Chishti's impassioned call in The Times to take Mend on, in the name of nothing less than Islam. He is right: don't be fooled by feigned piety as a shield for divisive and dangerous Islamist politics. 4/17
Former top counter-terrorism officer Mark Rowley has weighed in too, as you will see here. He knows exactly how Islamists operate and has called Mend on it, alongside the terrorist support group Cage. Mend and Cage are closely aligned. 5/17
Dispatches covered the alignment in a hard-hitting expose of Mend. It filmed Mend's founder Sufyan Ismail saying this: “I have personally donated to Cage over the years, for the record, and I continue to do so. Right, let’s get that on the record and I don’t know how many... 6/17
...people have donated as much as I have. I have no idea, but it’s not a small amount.”
“I think we [Cage and Mend] agree on principle, it's process, we’re very different on process. It’s almost like your means and ends. Our ends are the same, we all want ... 7/17
“I think we [Cage and Mend] agree on principle, it's process, we’re very different on process. It’s almost like your means and ends. Our ends are the same, we all want ... 7/17
...counter-terrorism legislation which is unnecessary to be abolished. We all have the same view on Prevent."
Liberal Muslims need support too. Mend has engaged in the most base abuse of their leaders for years on end. 8/17
Liberal Muslims need support too. Mend has engaged in the most base abuse of their leaders for years on end. 8/17
This post catalogues some of the shameful record. Does Labour really want to help this side? 9/17
hurryupharry.org/2017/10/24/men…
hurryupharry.org/2017/10/24/men…
This paper published by the Commission for Countering Extremism has more on Mend's scurrilous attacks on Muslims whom Labour should back and defend. It also details the group's promotion of some of the UK's worst hate preachers. 10/17
gov.uk/government/pub…
gov.uk/government/pub…
In fact, some in Labour already see Mend for what it is. Consider a telling episode in Birmingham.
Long *after* enquiries had established the shocking facts about the Trojan Horse schools scandal, Mend was siding with key figures in the scandal and attacking their critics. 11/17
Long *after* enquiries had established the shocking facts about the Trojan Horse schools scandal, Mend was siding with key figures in the scandal and attacking their critics. 11/17
This event featuring Tahir Alam was part of the sordid campaign. He had been banned from schools for “inappropriate interference", "inviting extremist / controversial speakers", "promoting intolerance", "unacceptable teaching materials", "financial mismanagement”, and more. 12/17
Birmingham council, a Labour stronghold, was alarmed. It said it was “concerned to ensure that there are no misleading messages given about what really happened during Trojan Horse” and that it wanted “to make it clear that the city council in no way endorses... 13/17
...the planned event”.
The council then recounted key disturbing findings from the enquiries, including its own, and added that it “recognises the need to guard against any repeat of the practices and behaviours of Trojan Horse”. 14/17
birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/1…
The council then recounted key disturbing findings from the enquiries, including its own, and added that it “recognises the need to guard against any repeat of the practices and behaviours of Trojan Horse”. 14/17
birmingham.gov.uk/news/article/1…
Turning back to antisemitism, this is what the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews had to say about Mend in 2018. She was scathing. 15/17
Kirk Master needs to do the right thing and pull out of this event. His party has been soiled by antisemitism, for all to see. Enough is enough.
Doing so would also strike a blow against Islamist tormentors of liberal Muslims. It should be the easiest of decisions. 16/17
Doing so would also strike a blow against Islamist tormentors of liberal Muslims. It should be the easiest of decisions. 16/17
Police officers across the country need to do their bit too. Mend is not their friend. It is an inveterate and wholly unprincipled opponent of Prevent policies. No officer should lend it the legitimacy it craves, in any circumstances. 17/17
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