This is cross-post from the Standpoint blog Focus on Islamism by Alexander Meleagrou-Hitchens
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Jack Straw is well known to be a fan of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), and today the Times has revealed the extent of his dealings with them.
According to today’s report:
A secret MI5 report on Islamic extremism in Blackburn has raised “potential concerns” about some radical Muslim factions known to Jack Straw, the local MP and justice secretary.
A senior security figure who has seen the report said it underlined concern among cabinet colleagues that Straw could be “too close” to the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), a prominent Muslim umbrella group. The government formally severed links with the group after a blazing row over extremism earlier this year.
“Jack’s a bit too close to the MCB – he sometimes appears to suggest they are the only game in town. There is a concern that proximity to them may colour [his] judgment,” the insider said.
The Mi5 report suggests that the noose is tightening around both the MCB’s extremist connections and government ministers who have been championing them. It’s about time…
When Hazel Blears tried to distance the government from the MCB after the Istanbul statement revelations, most of the resistance to this within Labour came from Straw’s camp.
In a recent interview with the Jewish Chronicle, Communities Secretary John Denham suggested that the door was still open for the MCB, although he was heavily critical of their support for the pro jihad Istanbul Statement. His conciliatory approach to the MCB is based on the same mistaken assumption made by Jack Straw that the MCB actually represent a large number of UK muslims, as he told the JC: “I think we do recognise that the Muslim Council of Britain does represent and includes a lot of voices the government would like to engage with.”
As the Spittoon blog showed us a couple of months ago, the MCB’s claim to represent around 550 Muslim organisation is disingenuous. Many of the affiliate organisations listed on their site are either duplicates, run by the same people or no longer active. Compared with how many UK Muslim groups exist, the MCB represent a tiny – and as we have seen often fringe and extreme – section.
There is also the issue of government engagement with communities based first and foremost on what particular religion they follow. For many this is a flawed approach, and rather than engaging with, for example, the Blackburn Muslim community, perhaps it would be more effective (and less sectarian) to engage with the Blackburn Gujarati community instead. This was a point made recently by Tory Shadow Home Secretary Chris Grayling when he told the Jewish Chronicle that “Public money should not be supporting the Bradford Muslim football league or the Leeds Jewish football league. It should be supporting the Yorkshire Boys’ football league. It should be seeking to bring different groups together and foster understanding rather than accentuating divides.” We can only hope that this attitude will shape a future Tory government’s community engagement policies.
17 Comments
Fair enough. So how many affilitae Muslim organisations does Spitoon or the Quisling foundation have? Well?
Inayat, neither Spittoon nor Quilliam claim to be representative organisations, unlike the MCB. Surely even you can appreciate that?
hehehe.
1. It’s spelt with two Ts, “spittoon”.
2. Neither Spittoon nor Quilliam Foundation claims to be representative of British Muslims therefore questions about numbers of affiliates are completely irrelevant.
3. I am entirely sure that anybody could set up an organisation calling themselves “The Mosque Network” or some such, drive around the country for a few days visiting mosques and chatting to imams/leadership boards and easily amass an affiliates list longer than the MCB’s pathetic haul of 340.
340? I wouldn’t brag about that Bunghole.
I guess that’s the end of that debate.
Bungles can’t deal with facts.
The MCB is the Jamaati Islami attempt to monopolise the ‘Muslim voice’ and act as gatekeeper to Muslim communities. Sorry freaks but that gate has been smashed now and you guys are nothing more than deluded misfits who are entitled to voice your view but don’t pretend to speak for everyone because you don’t and never have. Muslims shall never again be represented by Islamists muppets who resemble the extras from Carry on up the Khyber.
Beware the Soldiers in Skirts!
Sid James [in hot tub with buxom member of harem, points at bejewelled bra]: Corrrr, are they rubies?
Well-endowed extra in bejewelled bra [looks puzzled]: Naaa, they’re mine!
2. Neither Spittoon nor Quilliam Foundation claims to be representative of British Muslims therefore questions about numbers of affiliates are completely irrelevant.
The notion that think tanks who have little standing or respect within a community can provide policy recommendation affecting said community seems a bit odd, dont you think? Of course this is more a criticism of Think Tanks in general, rather than just Quilliam per se.
In short, no.
Respect and expertise don’t necessarily go together.
Munafiqoon & Kafiroon we have been actively serving our communities and engaging with our home society since when you were filthy twinkles in your father eyes, we will be here along time after your pathetic demise
Does serving the communities mean condemning everyone who disagrees with you and performing takfir on them? Shabash!
Mustapha
Can I book you for a comedy show?
“we will be here along time after your pathetic demise “
Not on your diet you’re not.
Are deep-fried Mars Bars and chips halaal, then?
Straw wants to be re-elected.
This is why he snuggles up to the Muslim Council of Blackburn and wags his little tail.
If there were a significant number of Scientologists or Jedi Knights or Satanists in his constituency he’d suck up to them, too.
Got that clear?