At yesterday's full meeting of Salford City Council, no sooner had Conservative councillors accused the ruling Labour Party Group of pushing Salford down the 'slippery road to dictatorship' over its Political Assistant re-vote*, than Labour councillors were calling the Tories 'Islamophobic'...
It came during a discussion on a motion defining Islamophobia, moved by Salford's first Muslim councillor, Sharmina August, and seconded by a Jewish councillor Heather Fletcher.
The definition proposed by Councillor August was endorsing one already adopted by the All Party Parliamentary Group... 'Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness'.**
She cited two examples of how it has hit her personally, leaving "lasting scars", firstly as a child in primary school when she was forced to eat pork sausages at lunchtime, and later on a family trip to Disneyland when American security forces interrogated her young brother for hours at the airport...
Councillor August added that the motion wasn't an attempt to stifle free speech... "This definition does not claim that legitimate criticism of Islam is Islamophobic" she said "I believe we should be free to constructively criticise any and all faiths". She also agreed that Islam wasn't a race... "This definition states that Islamophobia is rooted in racism and it is naive to think we can escape that..."
After Councillor Heather Fletcher had seconded the motion, saying "It is our duty to ensure Salford continues to be a warm welcoming and inclusive city which protects all its diverse communities in equal measure", and adding that other councils in Greater Manchester had adopted the motion, Conservative Leader Councillor Les Turner said that his group would not be supporting it...
He said that it was "well intended" but he had concerns, citing the heads of security forces and the police saying that the definition would "cripple" and "undermine" efforts to fight terrorism. He also had concerns around threats to the freedom of speech.
In response, Councillor August said she was "Deeply disappointed...to say that your concerns are related to terrorism is in itself Islamophobic" and suggested that the "entire Conservative group needed training on this matter...it is racist and Islamophobic to suggest that Muslims are terrorists and that this definition would stop terrorism being countered. I am absolutely appalled by this...."
Labour councillors lined up to slate the Tories, Councillor Jim Cammell declaring himself "disgusted", and Councillor John Merry declaring himself "horrified", adding that unless the Tories came up with an alternative motion, "this is forever going to be a stain, I'm afraid, on the Conservative Party in Salford; that you weren't prepared to speak up against discrimination against Muslims; that you did lump them together with terrorists..."
Conservative Councillor and rabbi, Arnie Saunders, who has worked on multi-faith activities and within mosques 'for years', clarified the Tories position, arguing that the proposed definition was not acceptable to the Government or security forces...
"We are voting against, not because we are racist which has been very unfortunately levelled against us, and not because we are pro Islamophobia" he insisted "We want to have a working definition, the same as with anti-semitism, that is acceptable to Government and security forces. I would urge everybody in the Muslim community and Government to work towards finding a definition that is acceptable to everybody and then we will vote for it..."
After more "gobsmacked" and "disappointed" Labour councillors railed against the Tories, Conservative Councillor Karen Garrido said that "we need to find a definition supported by everyone...in our hearts we're all totally against racism", while Councillor Robin Garrido criticised the "distasteful comments" levelled against his group... "We are opposing motion, not because we're racists, it's because we don't feel it's the right motion..." he concluded.
Summing up, Councillor August cited Councillor Laura Edwards' previous remarks that the concerns of the security forces had now been met and that the right wing think tank, Policy Exchange, which opposed the definition, was 'untrustworthy' since it had been found to have fabricated evidence.
She added that Conservative peer Baroness Warsi, approved the definition and had also pointed out the institutional Islamophobia within the Conservative Party... "I have never experienced Islamophobia by the Party in Salford and it was my belief that you would be voting for this motion" she said "I'm deeply upset that this is not the case..."
The motion and definition was subsequently passed with the Conservatives voting against...
**The full definition as passed in the Salford Council motion...
"Salford has a strong history of promoting cohesion and welcoming people from all over the world. Its residents have always united and supported each other in the fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms. Salford City Council therefore welcomes, endorses and adopts the working APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) definition of Islamophobia, including all of its examples in full cited as follows:
"Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness."
Contemporary examples of Islamophobia in public life, the media, schools, the workplace, and in encounters between religions and non-religions in the public sphere could, considering the overall context, include, but are not limited to:
• Calling for, aiding, instigating or justifying the killing or harming of Muslims in the name of a racist/fascist ideology, or an extremist view of religion.
• Making mendacious, dehumanising, demonising, or stereotypical allegations about Muslims as such, or of Muslims as a collective group, such as, especially but not exclusively, conspiracies about Muslim entryism in politics, government or other societal institutions; the myth of Muslim identity having a unique propensity for terrorism and claims of a demographic 'threat' posed by Muslims or of a 'Muslim takeover'.
• Accusing Muslims as a group of being responsible for real or imagined wrongdoing committed by a single Muslim person or group of Muslim individuals, or even for acts committed by non-Muslims.
• Accusing Muslims as a group, or Muslim majority states, of inventing or exaggerating Islamophobia, ethnic cleansing or genocide perpetrated against Muslims.
• Accusing Muslim citizens of being more loyal to the 'Ummah' (transnational Muslim community) or to their countries of origin, or to the alleged priorities of Muslims worldwide, than to the interests of their own nations.
• Denying Muslim populations, the right to self-determination e.g., by claiming that the existence of an independent Palestine or Kashmir is a terrorist endeavour.
• Applying double standards by requiring of Muslims behaviours that are not expected or demanded of any other groups in society, eg loyalty tests.
• Using the symbols and images associated with classic Islamophobia.
• Holding Muslims collectively responsible for the actions of any Muslim majority state, whether secular or constitutionally Islamic.
This motion asks that Salford City Council:
1. Write to government ministers asking them to listen to Muslim communities and the cross-party group of MPs and peers and to adopt this definition of Islamophobia which classifies discrimination against Muslims as a form of racism.
2. Continue to prioritise tackling hate crime and Islamophobia in partnership. That Salford City Council works with partners, especially Greater Manchester Police, on a rolling basis, and will now coordinate future actions in line with this definition of Islamophobia for all Muslims.
*See previous Salford Star article for full details – click here...
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