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| Labour accused of brushing aside alleged bias against Muslim women | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Muslim women’s activist, who called for a Labour inquiry into allegations that women have been systematically blocked from seeking election by men in their communities, has called the party’s lukewarm response “a slap in the face”. | A Muslim women’s activist, who called for a Labour inquiry into allegations that women have been systematically blocked from seeking election by men in their communities, has called the party’s lukewarm response “a slap in the face”. |
| Shaista Gohir of Muslim Women’s Network UK and Labour MP Gavin Shuker claimed discrimination was an open secret in many local councils. | Shaista Gohir of Muslim Women’s Network UK and Labour MP Gavin Shuker claimed discrimination was an open secret in many local councils. |
| Shuker, who was elected MP for Luton South in 2010 after a tightly-fought contest for selection, said he had repeatedly brought concerns about sexism and discrimination to senior Labour figures, but had been rebuffed. | Shuker, who was elected MP for Luton South in 2010 after a tightly-fought contest for selection, said he had repeatedly brought concerns about sexism and discrimination to senior Labour figures, but had been rebuffed. |
| Gohir wrote to the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, on Friday asking him to to investigate “systematic misogyny displayed by significant numbers of Muslim male local councillors” with party officials “complicit at the highest levels”. Corbyn is attending the Labour local government conference in Nottingham on Saturday. | Gohir wrote to the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, on Friday asking him to to investigate “systematic misogyny displayed by significant numbers of Muslim male local councillors” with party officials “complicit at the highest levels”. Corbyn is attending the Labour local government conference in Nottingham on Saturday. |
| Related: Muslim group urges chair of Birmingham central mosque to resign | Related: Muslim group urges chair of Birmingham central mosque to resign |
| In a statement on Friday evening, a Labour spokesman made no attempt to address the specific allegations and gave no hint the issue would be looked at any further, saying the party had “selection procedures [that] include strong positive action procedures such as all-women shortlists and rules to ensure women are selected in winnable council seats”. | In a statement on Friday evening, a Labour spokesman made no attempt to address the specific allegations and gave no hint the issue would be looked at any further, saying the party had “selection procedures [that] include strong positive action procedures such as all-women shortlists and rules to ensure women are selected in winnable council seats”. |
| Labour had “the best record of any party in selecting women and BAME candidates” the spokesman said, adding that those candidates who were unsuccessful had the right to appeal. | Labour had “the best record of any party in selecting women and BAME candidates” the spokesman said, adding that those candidates who were unsuccessful had the right to appeal. |
| Shuker said he raised his concerns over the selection of female Muslim councillors to the party’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, and had a formal meeting with the head of risk management, Mike Creighton, and regional director, Dan Simpson, in February 2014. No action was taken following any of the meetings, he said. | Shuker said he raised his concerns over the selection of female Muslim councillors to the party’s general secretary, Iain McNicol, and had a formal meeting with the head of risk management, Mike Creighton, and regional director, Dan Simpson, in February 2014. No action was taken following any of the meetings, he said. |
| “There is a culture in Labour that is as long as we win the seat, they don’t want to know about the selection or even the quality of the candidate,” he said. “The statement last night is telling. It is a massive issue. In far too many cases the only way a woman gets a look in is as the wife or daughter of an existing councillor.” | “There is a culture in Labour that is as long as we win the seat, they don’t want to know about the selection or even the quality of the candidate,” he said. “The statement last night is telling. It is a massive issue. In far too many cases the only way a woman gets a look in is as the wife or daughter of an existing councillor.” |
| Gohir said she was shocked at the party’s response to the allegations made by several Muslim women, who claimed Muslim men within Labour had been allowed to operate under the “patriarchal ‘biradari’ system” where women were deliberately not chosen to stand. | Gohir said she was shocked at the party’s response to the allegations made by several Muslim women, who claimed Muslim men within Labour had been allowed to operate under the “patriarchal ‘biradari’ system” where women were deliberately not chosen to stand. |
| “This really is an insulting response,” she told the Guardian. “These women have been threatened by men in their communities against speaking out. They are extremely brave to come forward. And seeing that statement is just really disheartening to be honest. It shows how they are not really listening at all.” | “This really is an insulting response,” she told the Guardian. “These women have been threatened by men in their communities against speaking out. They are extremely brave to come forward. And seeing that statement is just really disheartening to be honest. It shows how they are not really listening at all.” |
| Gohir said she believed the women affected were perceived as not being persistent enough to robustly challenge the practice. “They believe these women will eventually stop complaining and they will go away. And actually, that has happened. And you can see from the statement that is what they hope will happen. But we are not going away now.” | Gohir said she believed the women affected were perceived as not being persistent enough to robustly challenge the practice. “They believe these women will eventually stop complaining and they will go away. And actually, that has happened. And you can see from the statement that is what they hope will happen. But we are not going away now.” |
| In her letter to Corbyn, Gohir said she hoped for a full inquiry, looking at barriers faced by ethnic minority women. “We are being oppressed and marginalised and we need scrutiny.” | In her letter to Corbyn, Gohir said she hoped for a full inquiry, looking at barriers faced by ethnic minority women. “We are being oppressed and marginalised and we need scrutiny.” |
| Gohir said since the appearance of several women speaking out about the issue on BBC Newsnight she had been contacted by many others, including Sikh and Hindu women experiencing the same problem in communities like Brent and Southall. | Gohir said since the appearance of several women speaking out about the issue on BBC Newsnight she had been contacted by many others, including Sikh and Hindu women experiencing the same problem in communities like Brent and Southall. |
| Gohir said it was an issue that affected all parties, and has also written to David Cameron, but said Labour was the most significant because of the high numbers of Muslim male Labour councillors in certain towns and cities. | Gohir said it was an issue that affected all parties, and has also written to David Cameron, but said Labour was the most significant because of the high numbers of Muslim male Labour councillors in certain towns and cities. |
| Fozia Parveen, once an aspiring Labour councillor, told BBC Newsnight her election bid in Birmingham in 2007-8 was subject to a “smear campaign” with men turning up at her family home in attempts to intimidate her mother. | Fozia Parveen, once an aspiring Labour councillor, told BBC Newsnight her election bid in Birmingham in 2007-8 was subject to a “smear campaign” with men turning up at her family home in attempts to intimidate her mother. |
| Another women, Shazia Bashir, was contesting a seat in Peterborough in 2007 but claimed she was pressured to step down “because I didn’t have my father’s consent and support”. | Another women, Shazia Bashir, was contesting a seat in Peterborough in 2007 but claimed she was pressured to step down “because I didn’t have my father’s consent and support”. |