ianstone
04-15-2010, 11:49 AM
Battling for Bradford's Muslims (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/europe/2010/04/09/battling-bradfords-muslims)
By Nazanine Moshiri (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/profile/nazanine-moshiri) in
Europe (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/europe)
on April 9th, 2010.
Share (http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=mrayyan)
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/sites/default/files/imagecache/blogpostFeaturedImage/IMG00026-20100408-1514.jpg
In Bradford, manufacturing is down, unemployment is high, and a number of schools are underachieving. It is also a city with a big Muslim population, and in this region, their votes really matter.
The city of Bradford lies in the heart of West Yorkshire. Like much of the region, it has suffered from a decline in manufacturing, its wool and textile industries are now long gone.
There’s high unemployment here and a significant number of underachieving schools. This is also a city with a big Muslim population (http://www.mcb.org.uk/library/statistics.php)- around 20 per cent, many of them emigrated from Pakistan in the 1950s.
The votes of Muslims in this region really matter. Bradford is in the M62 corridor, which is a crucial election battleground. There are a number of key marginal parliamentary seats here currently held by labour, and the conservatives have to win them back if they are going to stand a chance of taking power.
How are the politicians going to win support? Well, back in 2005 one of the key issues for Muslim voters was foreign policy and in particular the Iraq war.
But sitting in a local cafe and typing away, Atif Imtiaz, who writes a blog about life in Bradford (http://bradfordmuslim.blogspot.com/), tells me other issues may now be taking priority.
"Although foreign policy is important," he says, "Muslims in Bradford have the same concerns as ordinary Bradfordians".
Those concerns, he goes on to explain, are the economy, education, and health care. Atif thinks British Muslims should come out and vote for the candidate that can best serve them locally.
The message of controversial Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir (http://www.hizb.org.uk/hizb/index.php) couldn’t be anymore different. It has been canvassing Muslims in community centres and mosques, asking them not to go to the polls.
"When people say you have to vote, its ridiculous," Taji Mustafa, a writer, activist and speaker for the group, says. "[And] it’s not just Muslims, there’s a wider public that’s now lost trust with the political process.”
We don’t know yet if Muslims are listening. What will worry politicians is a recent poll (http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=4577)by a think tank called Theos, which found that only 32 per cent of Muslims are "absolutely certain" to vote, compared with 47 per cent of the population as a whole.
In Bradford, the battle is just beginning, and candidates will have to win the hearts and minds of British Muslims here if they want victory.
Topics in this blog
People
Atif Imtiaz (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/category/person/atif-imtiaz)
City
Bradford This all looks peaceful and happy, however there is a strong Muslim undercurrent here. No matter what the local government says. There are many streets at night that are dangerous to walk in the City. This known locally as, "BRADISTAN". Taxi drivers who speak or understand the strong Yorkshire accent are few, the clever ones use satnav or are guided to the destination by radio and Arabic. If I walk into a local shop I am not served, no understandi English. Yet he will go to the cash and carry and buy his goods to sell. Still, he must use a Arab speaking cash and carry. The money he gets from the state, 5 kids and a wife, say £1,000 a month. the council will appoint a translator to assist in claiming allowances. Before you scream racist, there are an equal amount of whites claiming from the state. Well over twelve nationalities. There are good decent Islamic Muslims around. I have met two in ten years, it is probably because I move in lower circles than the good folk. Only one question I wish to ask; We are bending over backwards to accommodate foreign nationals, and "be nice".
Q.What are they doing to make me feel welcome on my short trip home, which has been my home for 38 years. What are they doing to make me feel safe and welcome here ? Bet you can't guess.
By Nazanine Moshiri (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/profile/nazanine-moshiri) in
Europe (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/europe)
on April 9th, 2010.
Share (http://addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=mrayyan)
http://blogs.aljazeera.net/sites/default/files/imagecache/blogpostFeaturedImage/IMG00026-20100408-1514.jpg
In Bradford, manufacturing is down, unemployment is high, and a number of schools are underachieving. It is also a city with a big Muslim population, and in this region, their votes really matter.
The city of Bradford lies in the heart of West Yorkshire. Like much of the region, it has suffered from a decline in manufacturing, its wool and textile industries are now long gone.
There’s high unemployment here and a significant number of underachieving schools. This is also a city with a big Muslim population (http://www.mcb.org.uk/library/statistics.php)- around 20 per cent, many of them emigrated from Pakistan in the 1950s.
The votes of Muslims in this region really matter. Bradford is in the M62 corridor, which is a crucial election battleground. There are a number of key marginal parliamentary seats here currently held by labour, and the conservatives have to win them back if they are going to stand a chance of taking power.
How are the politicians going to win support? Well, back in 2005 one of the key issues for Muslim voters was foreign policy and in particular the Iraq war.
But sitting in a local cafe and typing away, Atif Imtiaz, who writes a blog about life in Bradford (http://bradfordmuslim.blogspot.com/), tells me other issues may now be taking priority.
"Although foreign policy is important," he says, "Muslims in Bradford have the same concerns as ordinary Bradfordians".
Those concerns, he goes on to explain, are the economy, education, and health care. Atif thinks British Muslims should come out and vote for the candidate that can best serve them locally.
The message of controversial Islamic group Hizb ut-Tahrir (http://www.hizb.org.uk/hizb/index.php) couldn’t be anymore different. It has been canvassing Muslims in community centres and mosques, asking them not to go to the polls.
"When people say you have to vote, its ridiculous," Taji Mustafa, a writer, activist and speaker for the group, says. "[And] it’s not just Muslims, there’s a wider public that’s now lost trust with the political process.”
We don’t know yet if Muslims are listening. What will worry politicians is a recent poll (http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=4577)by a think tank called Theos, which found that only 32 per cent of Muslims are "absolutely certain" to vote, compared with 47 per cent of the population as a whole.
In Bradford, the battle is just beginning, and candidates will have to win the hearts and minds of British Muslims here if they want victory.
Topics in this blog
People
Atif Imtiaz (http://blogs.aljazeera.net/category/person/atif-imtiaz)
City
Bradford This all looks peaceful and happy, however there is a strong Muslim undercurrent here. No matter what the local government says. There are many streets at night that are dangerous to walk in the City. This known locally as, "BRADISTAN". Taxi drivers who speak or understand the strong Yorkshire accent are few, the clever ones use satnav or are guided to the destination by radio and Arabic. If I walk into a local shop I am not served, no understandi English. Yet he will go to the cash and carry and buy his goods to sell. Still, he must use a Arab speaking cash and carry. The money he gets from the state, 5 kids and a wife, say £1,000 a month. the council will appoint a translator to assist in claiming allowances. Before you scream racist, there are an equal amount of whites claiming from the state. Well over twelve nationalities. There are good decent Islamic Muslims around. I have met two in ten years, it is probably because I move in lower circles than the good folk. Only one question I wish to ask; We are bending over backwards to accommodate foreign nationals, and "be nice".
Q.What are they doing to make me feel welcome on my short trip home, which has been my home for 38 years. What are they doing to make me feel safe and welcome here ? Bet you can't guess.