Islamophobia in the Conservative Party

By Hamza Ali Shah

Executive summary:

At a time when racism in Britain is under intense scrutiny, most notably the Labour Party and the anti-Semitism allegations that have engulfed the party, the attention appears to have shortly shifted. Indeed, Baroness Warsi, former Conservative Party chair, recently called for an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party, a problem that is suggested had ‘poisoned’ sections of the party. Yet Home Secretary Sajid Javid promptly dismissed such claims. However, such a scenario should not be viewed in isolation, as it appears that Islamophobia in the Conservative Party is not a new phenomenon, but rather one with roots in the party, that are deepening.

Analysis:

When questioned about the allegations of Islamophobia, Javid’s response was ‘Let’s just look at who the home secretary is in this country. As you just described me, my name is Sajid Javid. I am the Home Secretary in this country’ (Wright, 2018). Such a statement represented a level of insensitivity that is not to be expected from a prominent politician, as if to suggest Islamophobia does not exist because he, a Muslim, has made it through the ranks of the Conservative Party.

Nevertheless, the negligence displayed by Javid is of an astounding nature, especially considering the substantial evidence supporting the case of Islamophobia. Moreover, fellow Conservative peers have also commented on the issue. Conservative chairperson Brandon Lewis suggested that any Islamophobia was ‘utterly unacceptable’, and Prime Minister Theresa May asserted that anti-Muslim discrimination is wrong, and there is no place for it in our society’ (Sabbagh, 2018), but as of yet, no tangible action has been taken.

In fact, a number of Muslim Conservative members have in recent times disclosed their experiences of Islamophobia, and declared that when complaints were raised, they were just brushed under the carpet (Walker & Slawson, 2018).

Indeed, in the past month alone, Conservative party representatives and candidates have called Islam ‘the new Nazism’, posted a picture of bacon on a door handle as a way to ‘protect your house from terrorism’, and shared an article that called Muslims ‘parasites’ who ‘live off the state and breed like rabbits’ (Malik, 2018).

This is not including the plethora of cases of Conservative Islamophobia documented from the past. Conservative MP for Harrow East, Bob Blackman, who has a history of anti-Muslim sentiments, demonstrated signs of the Islamophobia that runs through the Conservative party, when he shamefully invited Tapan Ghosh, a Hindu nationalist, to an event in the House of Commons. Ghosh is known for his anti-Muslim extremist views. He has previously called for the UN to control the birth rate of Muslims, praised the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, tweeted ‘all Muslims are jihadists’ and accused Muslims of raping a million British children (Oborne, 2018). Yet a Conservative MP endorsed him.

In fact, Blackman himself has also championed Islamophobia narratives in the past. Most recently, he endorsed a post on social media tweeted by anti-Islamic activist and English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson, which proclaimed that this ‘was the reality of being a minority surrounded by Islam’ (Walker, 2018), following an attack on a Hindu temple in Bangladesh.

Additionally, the London Mayoral Election in 2016 was a lucid example of the kind of Islamophobia tendencies that exist in the Conservative party. Zac Goldsmith waged a campaign that was brimming with anti-Muslim bigotry, in an attempt to smear his rival candidate, Sadiq Khan. He used a wealth of adverse rhetoric in an attempt to induce fear about the potential of a Muslim mayor, to the extent that he claimed Khan was a radical and ‘repeatedly legitimised those with extremist views’ (Jones, 2018), in reference to Muslims.

Following his loss to Sadiq Khan, expectations were that the Conservative party would conduct an urgent internal investigation, but no such thing materialised, which suggests such rhetoric is the norm in the party.

Instead, Zac Goldsmith was welcomed back into the Tory party in 2017 for the general election as part of the official shortlists of approved candidates in safe seats (Oborne, 2018)

Furthermore, several Conservative members have reported instances of casual racism linked to the religion or injurious conversations where it was heavily implied, thus causing them to shed as much of their Muslim identity as possible (Malik, 2018).

Thus, there does appear to be an element of validity to the claims that Islamophobia is rife in the Conservative party. The aforementioned examples suggest that the incidents presented following the demand for an inquiry, are not an anomaly, but rather symptoms of an endemic problem, and thus reinforce the notion expressed by Baroness Syeda Warsi that there is a ‘simmering anti-Muslim underbelly of Islamophobia in the party’ (Smith, 2018).

Such incendiary sentiments are the result of a party overflowing with prejudices. However, such prejudices do not surface from nowhere. They need a foundation, and the Conservative party has provided that. A party that in recent years, following the Brexit vote and the potential outcome, has intensified its nativist approach and sharpened its immigration hostility, which has long been a cornerstone of Conservative attitudes. This is reflected with the extensive support the Conservatives have received in recent years from UKIP and ex-BNP voters. Hence, indications are that the right-wing cloud that has manifested in British politics, has found a home in the Conservative party, and an augmentation in Islamophobia is a syndrome.

Therefore, it is bewildering that Javid would denounce accusations of Islamophobia so easily, considering his commitment to rooting out bigotry, as he demonstrated in his demand for a debate in Parliament against cases of anti-Semitism, and indeed the manner in which he wholeheartedly supported parliamentarians who raised the issue of anti-Semitism in the Labour party.

Exceedingly, he was also a recipient of the ‘Punish a Muslim day’ letter, so as home secretary, he should have an understanding of the severity of the issue, as opposed to denying it exists.

Accordingly, the contrast in paths in the Conservative party that he and Baroness Warsi took illustrates the dynamic of the Islamophobia in the party. Baroness Warsi has spoken out courageously in the past about Muslims and matters concerning them. In 2010, when she was cabinet minister, under her insistence, the Tory coalition brought together academics, Muslim representatives and racism groups as part of a project to address anti-Muslim hatred (Oborne & Sloan, 2018).

Likewise, she honourably resigned her positions as Senior Foreign Office Minister and Minister for Faith and Communities in 2014, because she stuck with her principles, and considered Britain’s stance on Israel’s attack on Gaza as morally indefensible. She has also spent the last two years attempting to get the Conservative party to engage with the problem of Islamophobia within the party, and in wider Britain. However, in opting to be a voice for Muslims, during her time in the Conservative party, she was side-lined and besmirched.

Contrastingly, Sajid Javid, who denies Islamophobia in the Conservative party exists, despite conclusive evidence, and is a staunch supporter of Israel, is being tipped as a potential future Prime Minister. The divergent paths in the Conservative party taken by Baroness Warsi and Sajid Javid, considering their stance on Islamophobia is perhaps the biggest indication of the scope of the Islamophobia issue in the party.

Conclusion:

The comments made by Sajid Javid in light of demands for an independent inquiry into Islamophobia in the Conservative party, are a reflection of the Conservative approach to the matter of contention. The disregard shown towards a problem that has deep roots in the party can be considered a symptom of the very problem. From the endorsing of numerous anti-Muslim figures, to bigoted anti-Muslim mayoral campaigns, to casual racism directed at Muslims in the party, Islamophobia sentiments are rife in the Conservative party. Hence, the Conservative party appears to have been swept along by the right-wing populist wave in its journey through Europe.

 

 

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