Muslim Voters Could Swing 31 Seats in UK Elections: Research

Preparing for the upcoming elections, a leading British Muslim group has released a list of constituencies where Muslim voters could swing seats as it pushed for a nationwide voter registration drive, The Guardian reported.

FEED THE POOR

Feeding the poor and needy is an act that draws us closer to Allah. We earn His forgiveness, mercies and blessings through this act of charity.

“Anyone who looks after and works for a widow and a poor person is like a warrior fighting for Allah?s cause, or like a person who fasts during the day and prays all night. (Bukhari)

“As active participants in our society, Muslims – in all their diversity – can play a significant role in what may become a close election,” Harun Khan, the Muslim Council of Britain’s secretary-general, said.

“We hope that the parties listen and reach out to Muslim
communities across the country to engage on issues of concern.”

Khan was speaking as the MCB released a list on Monday of 31 marginal seats in which Muslim voters could have a “high” or “medium” impact.

Fourteen of the 31 seats are held by Labour, 14 by the Conservatives and three by the SNP. The MCB, the main representative body for Muslims in the UK, is non-partisan.

Muslim Voters Drive

Meanwhile, the group said it was focusing on increasing
Muslim voter participation and encouraging communities to engage with the
election debate.

On Friday, mosques and Muslim community organizations will
take part in the first national Muslim voter registration day.

“It’s important that we all – young and old – realize our potential to make change through political participation,” Zara Mohammed, the MCB’s assistant secretary-general, said.

“Our votes matter. Be it the mosque, community organization,
student society or women’s group, each of us can make a difference. This is as
true in Ealing as in Edinburgh – we all have a responsibility to encourage as
many people to register to vote.”

Mohammed Kozbar, chairman of the Finsbury Park mosque in Jeremy Corbyn’s Islington North constituency, which was attacked by a far-right terrorist in 2017, said: “At my mosque, we know the price we all pay when certain communities are excluded from politics.

“It is high time Muslims make their voices heard –
especially as many Muslim communities are in seats where they can be the
difference between one candidate or another ending up in parliament,” he added.

Nasir Mahmood of Birmingham Central Mosque, one of the largest in the UK, said it was “the civic duty of every citizen – Muslim or not – to exercise their democratic right to vote”.

The registration drive was key to “helping Muslims make their voices heard this election”.

Voting Power

The estimates of 2009 suggested a total of about 2.4 million
Muslims over all the UK. According to the Pew Forum, the number of Muslims in
Britain could now be around 3 million.

Earlier this month, three leading British Muslim
organizations urged Muslims to vote in the upcoming general election on
December 12 to make their voices heard and exercise their civil obligations to
fully engage in the society.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), MEND (Muslim Engagement
& Development), and Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK (MPACUK) said that
Muslims have the power to decide the next government.