Labor Party ‘Islamophobia’ exposed by new survey

The extent of Islamophobia in the Labor Party has been documented for the first time, raising deep doubts about the leadership qualities of Keir Starmer.

According to a survey by the Labor Muslim Network (LMN), 55 percent of respondents say they do not “trust the leadership of the Labor Party to tackle Islamophobia effectively”.

Another 59 percent of Muslim members and supporters of the Labor Party said they do not feel “well represented by the leadership of the party”.

To make matters worse, a quarter of Muslim Labor members claim they have experienced “direct” Islamophobia within the party, while a third said they had “witnessed” Islamophobia first hand.

Furthermore, 48 percent of respondents claim they do “not have confidence” in Labor’s ability to deal with complaints “effectively”.

The LMN’s survey is based on interviews with 422 members and supporters of the Labor Party. It is not clear exactly when the survey was conducted.

Challenge to the leadership

The findings of the survey is a major challenge to the party’s leadership, led by newly-elected leader Keir Starmer, especially as it comes in the wake of the latter’s decision to deal decisively with allegations of anti-Semitism.

Keir Starmer replaces Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader

In a victory for the establishment, centrist leadership contender, Keir Starmer, has ascended to the Labour party leadership, thus bringing the Corbyn era to a definitive end.

Only late last month the party – under Starmer’s direction – suspended former leader, Jeremy Corbyn, on the grounds of his allegedly insufficiently strong reaction to an Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report on anti-Semitism within the party.

Starmer’s harsh treatment of Corbyn – who remains very popular with Labor’s rank and file – was widely seen as an attempted purge of the party’s old guard who hold sympathetic views on the Palestinian cause.

Muslim alienation 

The MLN survey is expected to further alienate the Labor Party’s Muslim membership and intensify an exodus that began with the advent of Starmer’s leadership.

One respondent told LMN that rising Islamophobia “will not only damage [the] Labor Party but will cause huge uproar and divisions too”.

Another respondent claimed that Labor’s internal systems to contain and defeat Islamophobia are “unfit for purpose”.

"The sophistication of racism and Islamophobia today is not recognized or accommodated by procedures", the respondent claimed.

But the LMN survey looks at broader issues involving Labor and Muslims, including overseas conflicts that are close to the heart of Britain’s Islamic community.

The report found that Labor’s modified stance on the Palestinian occupation and the party’s “perceived change” of position on the conflict in the Indian-administered Kashmir, are causing “hurt” to the party’s Muslim members and supporters.

Contrasting responses 

In their response to the survey, Starmer and his deputy, Angela Rayner, issued the following joint statement: "We thank Labour Muslim Network for this important report, as well as their work to ensure our Muslim members are represented, included and heard. Islamophobia has no place in our party or society and we are committed to rooting it out". 

"We look forward to working with LMN to implement their recommendations and will be meeting with them to discuss the next steps in tackling the scourge of Islamophobia", Starmer and Rayner added.

Meanwhile, the Labor MP for the Coventry South constituency, Zarah Sultana, issued a far more robust response.

Sultana, who is Muslim, tweeted that the findings of the survey are "shocking" but "hardly surprising" and that she had "seen and experienced it [Islamophobia]" in the party.

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) November 14, 2020 ">http://

Islamophobia is a pervasive bigotry & this report shows that our party is no exception.

Its findings are shocking, but hardly surprising. I've seen & experienced it in the party.

We must listen to this report & tackle Islamophobia & all forms of racism, wherever they're found. https://t.co/HMAkZZFuVA

— Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) November 14, 2020

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