BNP call ‘fuels Muslim distrust’ of Johnson

BNP call ‘fuels Muslim distrust’ of Johnson

By Jimmy Burns

Published: April 28 2008 21:00 | Last updated: April 28 2008 21:00

London’s Muslim vote is being “galvanised” to back Ken Livingstone, a campaign group claimed on Monday, because of the extremist British National party’s call for its supporters to give their second preference votes to the Conservative candidate Boris Johnson in Thursday’s London mayoral elections.

Mr Johnson has publicly condemned the BNP and declared he has “no desire whatsoever” to receive any votes from the far right party’s supporters.

But Anas Altikriti, a leading Muslim commentator and spokesman for the Muslims4Ken campaign, said the BNP’s tactics had fuelled Muslim distrust of Mr Johnson for what it is claimed are the denigrating remarks he made about Islam before becoming the Conservative mayoral challenger.

Mr Johnson’s comments in the Daily Telegraph and The Spectator included references to “piccaninnies” with “watermelon smiles” and the statement that “Islamophobia…is a natural reaction” for non-Muslim readers of the Koran. He labelled Islam “the most viciously sectarian of all religions in its heartlessness towards unbelievers”.

During the mayoral campaign, Mr Johnson has sought to clarify his opinion of Islam. In a debate last week on the BBC’s Politics Show, he stressed that he had been referring solely to extremists’ abuse of the Koran.

“Mr Johnson’s failure to retract or apologise [for the alleged remarks] is telling…But Muslims also do not want a mayor elected with BNP votes,” Mr Altikriti told the FT. On Monday Muslims4Ken confirmed it was proceeding with legal action against the Evening Standard newspaper over its claims that the campaign leadership included an advocate of suicide bombings.

Over 60 Muslim organisations and community leaders claiming to represent the “overwhelming majority “of Muslims in London have signed a document in support of Mr Livingstone because of his record of anti-racism and public opposition to the war in Iraq.

The mayor also has the support of leftwinger George Galloway, who is standing for the London assembly for the antiwar Respect party, following his election as MP for Bethnal Green and Bow in 2005 with strong backing from Muslims. Mr Galloway promised Muslims he would help counter the BNP if any of its candidates were elected.

However, according to Ahmed Versi, editor of Muslim News, Mr Livingstone’s tactical coalition does not have a guaranteed monopoly of London’s Muslims, who represent an estimated 10 per cent of the capital’s population.

“A large number of more affluent Muslims have moved towards the Conservative party,” Mr Versi told the FT. He said Mr Johnson appeared to have a good grasp of Islamic culture and history, despite the caricature of an insensitive Islamophobe painted by his Muslim critics.

Mr Johnson had been warmly received in the mosques he had visited during his campaign, Mr Versi said.