Iftar racism on show

The Tories’ shadow justice minister, Nick Timothy, has shamefully called an iftar gathering in Trafalgar Square an “act of domination”. Party leader Kemi Badenoch then doubled down by stating that Timothy was “defending British values”. What, the values of Islamophobia and racism?

Starmer called the Conservatives out during PMQs, stating that the party has a “problem with Muslims”. This is obviously true, given that the Tories are made up of various stripes of raging bigot. However, it’s also deeply hypocritical coming from a Labour party that’s also got a clear Islamophobia problem.

Iftar: ‘there’s always a place at the table’

The 16 March event was organised by the Ramadan Tent Project charity, which seeks to improve relationships between communities. It was one of 18 ‘Open Iftar’ meals held across the UK.

Among the thousands who attended the Trafalgar Square event was London mayor Sadiq Khan, who took to Twitter to state that:

However, a charity bringing people together to share food for an iftar meal is apparently a step too far for Tory Nick Timothy. On the night of the event, the far-right gobshite logged on to Twitter to complain:

Note, in particular, Timothy’s use of ‘ritual’ here. Sure, depending on your theology, a prayer could be considered a ritual – but Timothy is trying to mystify the adhan to make it sound like some sinister cult practice.

Likewise, it’s also worth pointing out that the whole ‘there is no god but Allah‘ bit is, you know, kind of foundational for a monotheistic religion. It’s right there in the name. Likewise, it’s a belief shared by other dangerous Islamists like Charles III, the king of bloody Britain.

‘Utterly appalling’

Starmer took the opportunity to condemn Timothy’s nakedly Islamophobic rant in the Commons the next day. During PMQs, he called for Badenoch to sack her party member:

He said last night that Muslims praying in public, including the mayor of London practising his faith, are not welcome.

If he was in my team, he’d be gone. It’s utterly appalling. She should denounce his comments and she should sack him.

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The Labour leader also drew a parallel between the shadow justice minister and fascist shit-stirrer Tommy Robinson:

Even Tommy Robinson, I can hardly believe I’m saying this, has said today that if the shadow justice secretary had made these hateful comments two years ago the Conservative Party would have kicked him out.

Tommy Robinson isn’t some sort of moral signpost, he was pointing out how much their party has changed. They’re more inclined to his views, and he’s right about that. The fact he’s sitting on her front bench shows she’s too weak and has got absolutely no judgement.

‘The Tory Party has got a problem with Muslims’

Later, Starmer went on to say that:

When I see religious events in Trafalgar Square, when I see Hindus celebrating Diwali, when I see Jews celebrating Chanukah live, when I see Christians performing the Passion of the Christ, or Muslims praying, that shows the great strength of our diverse city and country.

I’ve never heard her party call out anything other than the Muslim events. It’s only when Muslims are praying. The only conclusion is the Tory Party has got a problem with Muslims.

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It’s true that Trafalgar is regularly used for religious events of all stripes. Sadiq Khan echoed a similar sentiment on Twitter, posting:

Likewise, as we stated earlier, the fact that the Tories are a bunch of Islamophobic bigots is a given. However, this attack from Starmer is bloody rich, given that his own party has massively ramped up its Muslim-bashing in recent years.

Just look at their abandonment of the term ‘Islamophobia’, their hierarchy of racism that repeatedly minimises attacks on Muslims, and the party’s inaction on Islamophobia in the NHS. And that’s not even mentioning Labour’s active participation in the genocide of the Palestinian people.

‘Defending British values’

In response to Starmer’s statements, Kemi Badenoch stated that Timothy was “defending British values”.

Now, this is true if – and only if – we hold that Islamophobia itself is a British value. The Tories clearly believe that – Timothy’s rant was an open attack on Muslims praying in public, and his party leader stood by it.

Timothy didn’t condemn Christian, Jewish or Hindu worshippers in the same setting. He singled out Muslims, because he and his party have a problem with Muslims.

However, that hatred of Muslims is, increasingly, becoming a British value. Along with it, racism, fascism and white-supremacist politics are being mainstreamed.

This vague appeal to ‘British values’ is a trap. ‘British values are multicultural’. ‘Christianity is a British value’. ‘Helping those in need is a British value’. ‘Pulling yourself up by the bootstraps is a British value’.

As Badenoch succinctly demonstrated, British values are a shifting, nebulous concept which allows politicians to make their appeals to whichever way public sentiment sways at the time.

If Timothy, Badenoch and their ilk are what British values look like, they can fucking keep them.

Eid Mubarak.

Featured image via the Canary