Dewsbury and Batley Labour Candidate Told You're “not a proper Muslim”

[Social Media]

 

Heather Iqbal, a Labour candidate in Dewsbury and Batley, revealed that she faced intense scrutiny and harassment during her election campaign, including being told she was “not a proper Muslim” due to her Western first name. Iqbal Mohamed, the independent MP who defeated her, did not intervene when his supporters targeted her with these attacks, according to Ms. Iqbal.

 

In an interview with *The Telegraph*, Ms. Iqbal described the hostile environment surrounding the campaign, which included being chased down the street and accused of being a “child murderer” and a “genocide agent.” Supporters of Mr. Mohamed reportedly used a loudspeaker van that broadcast accusations labeling Labour as a Zionist party. Ms. Iqbal explained how the aggressive nature of the campaign forced her to stop bringing her baby son with her while canvassing. "I got shouted at about being a child killer," she recalled. This constant harassment created an environment where it was nearly impossible to campaign calmly.

 

The candidate also revealed the growing pressure on Muslim Labour members in Dewsbury to quit the party due to its stance on Gaza. Ms. Iqbal stated that children of these members were being bullied at school simply because their parents were associated with Labour, particularly after Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7.

 

A major point of contention during the campaign was Ms. Iqbal’s first name, which led to her Muslim identity being questioned. "Whether I was Muslim or not was constantly questioned, with constant criticism of my first name," she said, noting that this occurred even in community meetings held by her opponent, Mr. Mohamed.

 

The hostility didn't end with personal insults. Ms. Iqbal and her team were routinely followed by a van that would appear shortly after they began door-knocking, broadcasting accusations of being “genocide agents” and “child killers.” She stated that the campaign atmosphere was so toxic it made it difficult for her to engage with voters properly. “It felt like every day you had to look over your shoulder because the language was set from the top,” she said.

 

In contrast, Ms. Iqbal criticized Mr. Mohamed for failing to address or condemn the behavior of his supporters. "If the independent MP is confident in his views, he should not need to get his campaign to do stuff like that," she said, expressing frustration at his silence. She added that the fact she was the only woman running made it all the more important for Mr. Mohamed to step in and call for restraint.

 

The Labour candidate also spoke of her near-daily contact with the police in the lead-up to the election, following the troubling events of a previous local election. She recounted how groups of men had gathered outside polling stations, creating a hostile and intimidating environment. “The week leading up to the general election, I really did feel really intimidated,” Ms. Iqbal said.

 

Dewsbury, a town with a large Muslim population, has been a Labour stronghold for much of the last century. However, recent elections have exposed deep divisions within the electorate. In the 2024 general election, Mr. Mohamed, a pro-Gaza independent candidate, won with 15,641 votes, while Labour trailed significantly with 8,707 votes.

 

This election marks yet another sign of the growing influence of Middle Eastern politics in British local elections, as seen in the 2021 Batley and Spen by-election, where George Galloway nearly won the seat by focusing on Muslim voters’ concerns about the Middle East. Heather Iqbal’s experience reveals the complexity of navigating such fraught political environments, where personal identity, party affiliation, and international issues collide in ways that can significantly impact campaigns and voter behavior.

 

Jackie Ramsay, Ms Iqbal’s election agent, said the canvassing team had been much depleted because Labour members had felt “bullied” into leaving. “As people are going to the mosque, people in the community are saying to them: ‘Why are you still in that genocidal party?’” she recalled. Ms Ramsay said she reported independent supporters to the police on three occasions. On one occasion, while a small group was canvassing in a Muslim area of Batley, an independent supporter ran up and “very aggressively shouted at us that we weren’t welcome in that area”. “He collected leaflets from some of the doors that we had delivered to. He said it was an independent area; if we didn’t get out he would be calling people so that they would remove us.

 

“Labour Party members started to leave. There was intimidation going on. People were expected if they were from the Muslim faith to leave the ‘genocidal party’ or the ‘party that supports the killing of babies’.” “I witnessed it at Thornhill Lees and Savile Town where people were being told what box to vote for. You had to run a bit of a gauntlet [to get in].”
Ms Iqbal said: “I think that there is a group of people who are exploiting the emotions that Gaza brings.

“Not only do they intimidate people into feeling like they couldn’t vote Labour because of their religion. That emotion overwhelms how you might feel about your local services or public policy generally.

 

As the dust settles on the 2024 election, Ms. Iqbal notes that there are many Labour members who feel "silenced" due to the growing pressures in constituencies like Dewsbury.

 

Based on a report from: Daily Telegraph 2024-09-24

 

 

 

[herfiehandbag]

I wonder how much longer this sort of interference in the electoral process is going to be tolerated?

 

A rhetorical question really, after all "vote harvesting" by the heads of extended families is a long held tradition in many of these communities, and goes virtually unchallenged.

 

Enriching though isn't it!

Edited September 24 by herfiehandbag

[Callmeishmael]

The real question is how much longer will it be before an 'Islamic Party' arises in the UK?   Many Muslim voters would happily leave Labour if a more socially conservative party was available.

[Chomper Higgot]

Sentiments that mirror the ‘not British’ arguments made by rightwing members of this forum wrt to British citizens born in the UK to immigrant parents. 

 

 

[JonnyF]

Shock horror. Muslims being intolerant and bigoted.  

[roquefort]

4 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

The real question is how much longer will it be before an 'Islamic Party' arises in the UK?   Many Muslim voters would happily leave Labour if a more socially conservative party was available.

More than likely before the next general election, although you won't hear any discussion of the subject in the corporate media. For a foretaste of this exact scenario in another European country read Michel Houllebeq's 'Submission'.

[sungod]

Perfect example of integration in multi cultural UK. 

 

No point in complaining to the police, too busy locking people up for facebook posts.

[blazes]

18 minutes ago, roquefort said:

More than likely before the next general election, although you won't hear any discussion of the subject in the corporate media. For a foretaste of this exact scenario in another European country read Michel Houllebeq's 'Submission'.

 

Correct spelling is Houellebecq (just in case someone wants to buy or borrow Submission --  novel in which France has a Muslim government).

[jippytum]

Sign of the times in the UK. 

Mr Muhammad objected to his opponent in the election not being a true Muslim like him. 

How did we allow this takeover of our political system.  disgraceful  !! 

[Scott Tracy]

Not Muslim enough. Who makes that judgement? Good grief.

 

Sharia law is on its way. 

[Scott Tracy]

3 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Sign of the times in the UK. 

Mr Muhammad objected to his opponent in the election not being a true Muslim like him. 

How did we allow this takeover of our political system.  disgraceful  !! 

What is a true Muslim and who makes that determination? 

 

If Mr Mohammed is such a true Muslim, why is he not out killing the infidel, as required by the Muslim holy book?

[JonnyF]

5 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Sign of the times in the UK. 

Mr Muhammad objected to his opponent in the election not being a true Muslim like him. 

How did we allow this takeover of our political system.  disgraceful  !! 

 

Indeed.

 

If only someone could have seen all this coming.😄

 

[herfiehandbag]

5 hours ago, Callmeishmael said:

The real question is how much longer will it be before an 'Islamic Party' arises in the UK?   Many Muslim voters would happily leave Labour if a more socially conservative party was available.

That may actually be a good thing as far as democracy in the UK is concerned.

 

An Islamic Party would have to "stand alone" and would not be able, as they arguably do now, to "piggyback" on the traditional Labour vote and resources; yet have no interest in representing the majority of their constituents.

Edited September 24 by herfiehandbag

[herfiehandbag]

2 minutes ago, Scott Tracy said:

What is a true Muslim and who makes that determination? 

 

If Mr Mohammed is such a true Muslim, why is he not out killing the infidel, as required by the Muslim holy book?

Given the opportunity..

 

[jippytum]

7 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Indeed.

 

If only someone could have seen all this coming.😄

 

Enoch Powell did and was vilified for it

[JonnyF]

8 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

Given the opportunity..

 

 

Nah, the police have already advised them to leave the weapons in the mosque. 

 

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1932225/uk-riots-stoke-police-mosque

 

[Foxx]

Why are the people running this site so keen on pushing articles from The Daily Telegraph - a notoriously right wing and bigoted publication?

How about balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?

[billd766]

4 minutes ago, Foxx said:

Why are the people running this site so keen on pushing articles from The Daily Telegraph - a notoriously right wing and bigoted publication?

How about balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?

quote "How about balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?"

 

How about YOU balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?

[blazes]

9 minutes ago, Foxx said:

Why are the people running this site so keen on pushing articles from The Daily Telegraph - a notoriously right wing and bigoted publication?

How about balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?

 

ha ha....the Grauniad....Britain's nearest equivalent to Pravda!

[Homburg]

The future of the UK, Western Europe and North America has arrived. This is how the extremists will render the moderate Muslims irrelevant and the tail will wag the dog. All government agencies are being infiltrated and will increasingly fail to work to protect non-Muslims.  The West is lost.

[Patong2021]

39 minutes ago, jippytum said:

Enoch Powell did and was vilified for it

Douglas Murray is nothing like that horrid Enoch Powell

[Patong2021]

16 minutes ago, Foxx said:

Why are the people running this site so keen on pushing articles from The Daily Telegraph - a notoriously right wing and bigoted publication?

How about balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?

 

The Guardian has had a documented bias on several issues,

The Independent's ownership speaks for itself  - Evgeny Lebedev (41%)  and Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel (30%)

 

 

[John Drake]

6 hours ago, herfiehandbag said:

I wonder how much longer this sort of interference in the electoral process is going to be tolerated?

 

A rhetorical question really, after all "vote harvesting" by the heads of extended families is a long held tradition in many of these communities, and goes virtually unchallenged.

 

Enriching though isn't it!

 

You mean how much longer it will remain at this early stage of intimidation before going full force???

[jippytum]

11 minutes ago, Patong2021 said:

Douglas Murray is nothing like that horrid Enoch Powell

Like him or loathe him no disputing Powell got it right

[Thingamabob]

1 hour ago, Scott Tracy said:

Not Muslim enough. Who makes that judgement? Good grief.

 

Sharia law is on its way. 

Very sad. The Britain I grew up in is broken and beyond repair. Sharia will predominate within 30-50 years. 

[markeewan]

51 minutes ago, Thingamabob said:

Very sad. The Britain I grew up in is broken and beyond repair. Sharia will predominate within 30-50 years. 

2035 to be majority Muslim in UK, I read recently.

[Golden Triangle]

 

Am I ever glad that I  got away from the UK when I did, nearly 13 years ago now, it has gone down hill rapidly just lately.

[Foxx]

1 hour ago, billd766 said:

quote "How about balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?"

 

How about YOU balancing it with reports from The Guardian and Independent?

 

I'm not a person running this site.

[Foxx]

1 hour ago, Patong2021 said:

 

The Guardian has had a documented bias on several issues,

The Independent's ownership speaks for itself  - Evgeny Lebedev (41%)  and Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel (30%)

 

However, neither is as unbalanced as The Torygraph.

I just would like to see a bit of variety and balance, rather than just the relentless hard right wing reports that are being pushed by this site.

[billd766]

50 minutes ago, Foxx said:

 

I'm not a person running this site.

And is that stopping you from looking up and reporting different reports from The Guardian and Independent?