London Assembly member complains to London Elects for anti-Islam quote in booklet
Categories: Latest News
Friday April 27 2012
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Islamophobia Watch alerts us to the booklet distributed by London Elects about the London mayoral election on May 3rd, and the anti-Islam quote from ‘Reverend’ Robert West included on the page of the BNP candidate, Carlos Cortiglia. |
London Elects is “the independent team that organises the Mayor of London and the London Assembly elections”. The anti-Islam quote, which is also on the London Elects website, has prompted London Assembly member, Murad Qureshi to write a formal complaint to London Elects for publishing the quote. Islamophobia Watch asks whether “the BNP would be allowed to include an equivalent attack on the Jewish community in its election address?”
From Islamophobia Watch:
“London Assembly member Murad Qureshi has written to complain about the election address from the British National Party that appears in the booklet distributed by London Elects to inform voters about the 3 May elections for the London Mayor and Assembly.
“The BNP’s appeal to voters features a quote from their phoney non-Reverend Robert West which reads: “I’m backing the British National Party because they support our traditional Christian faith. We need strong leadership to protect our national identity from the threat of Islam.”
“The booklet is sent to every household in Greater London. It is quite disgraceful that London Elects has allowed the BNP to include in it an outrageous slur on one of the major faiths in London, where 8% of the electorate is Muslim.
“Does anyone imagine that the BNP would be allowed to include an equivalent attack on the Jewish community in its election address? But bigotry is apparently considered acceptable when it is directed against Muslims. It is a measure of how Islamophobia has entered the mainstream and is now widely regarded as legitimate.
“It is too late to withdraw the booklet, but London Elects should issue a public apology to London’s Muslim community along with an assurance that this will never happen again.
“The quote from Robert West can also be found on the London Elects website, where the booklet itself is available for download. You can email them at [email protected] or phone 020 7983 4444 to complain.”
You can also contact the Electoral Commission to lodge a complaint about the prejudicial electoral material published and distributed by London Elects, by calling 0207 271 0500, or by filling in an online contact form here.