The politics of the ‘Muslim vote’ |
British politics looks very different today. Opinion polls suggested for some months that the Greens could challenge and defeat Labour in its traditional seats – Hannah Spencer has now gone and done it. With Reform’s Matt Goodwin pushing Labour into third, Keir Starmer is now being pulled apart from all sides.
Do Gorton’s Green voters know what they’ve done?
Hannah Spencer has mastered tweeslop
The shamelessness of Zack Polanski
The issue of Gaza was central to Spencer’s campaign, rooted in the Gorton half of the constituency with a high number of Muslim voters. The appearance of Palestinian and Pakistani flags on election night and an Urdu video promoting the Greens, complete with images of Labour leaders with ‘baddies’ such as Modi and Netanyahu, made uncomfortable viewing for many.
Starmer – or his successor – will be under immense pressure to ‘reset’ relations with Muslim voters. This is being echoed in the commentariat, with Patrick Wintour of the Guardian stating: ‘Gaza is still a large part of what is driving the alienation from Labour. Little sign in the Foreign Office or No.10 of any recognition of this.’
This is incorrect. Labour has spent the past 18 months attempting to reset relations with Muslim voters, to absolutely no effect whatsoever. Having lost four........