Resolving a problem usually involves first admitting its existence. To deny a problem is a renunciation of responsibility – refusing to name it is quite another.
When it comes to the problem of Islamophobia, that type of rejectionism has been witnessed at the highest levels of Britain’s political elite over the past week. The price for this has been seen in the recent appearance of three men in a London court on terrorism charges, accused of identifying an Islamic education centre in Leeds as a target for far-right violence.
UK politicians must take this seriously.
There ought not to be any surprise about the denial concerning Islamophobia in Britain. The real surprise is only why anybody is surprised. The deputy chairman of the Conservative party, Lee Anderson, declared in late February that “Islamists” had “got control” of London, as well as the city’s Mayor, Sadiq Khan. The former Conservative home secretary, Suella Braverman, has claimed that “Islamists … are in charge”, while former Conservative prime minster Liz Truss has asserted that a “radical jihadist party” could soon send someone to Parliament.
This kind of rhetoric is not new for the current Conservative party, even though it might shock those who would prefer to remember a different kind of Tory, such as Dominic Grieve or Kenneth Clarke. This is the reality that perhaps many of us would rather not face, but the party has allowed such rhetoric to spread within it for many years. Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, who was co-chairwoman of the party in 2011, drew attention to it famously when she claimed that prejudice towards Muslims had “passed the dinner-table test” and thus become socially acceptable.
To deny a problem is a renunciation of responsibility – refusing to name it is quite another
More than a decade later, the situation seems to have become worse, but we are mistaken if we see this as separate from wider engagements within the party, as well as within British politics more generally. On the contrary, there is a broader trend in UK politics, and in the Conservative party in particular, that has identified its future as speaking to a base driven by populism, instead of engaging in political leadership.
The Brexit vote in 2016 pointed to a major schism in this regard.
Few political figures within the Conservative party thought that Brexit would happen but saw that expressing support for it would develop into political currency. Hence the famous example of former British prime minister Boris Johnson, who led the pro-Brexit campaign, but was clearly shocked when it actually happened. Nevertheless, the lesson was learnt: there were political points to be scored by aligning with the basest instincts of populist supporters, irrespective of the damage that might be wreaked upon the country.
In the political turmoil that ensued, dozens of Conservative MPs were forced to leave the party because they refused to go along with the leadership populism that took over amid the Brexit referendum. At the time, some Downing Street insiders expressed glee at their departure because their view of Britain’s electorate was that it was breaking down into “Remainers” and “Leavers” – therefore, losing prominent centrists meant the party becoming more attractive to the Leavers who were more important to the Tories’ electoral ambitions.
We’ve seen much of that kind of populist tacking over recent years, and the recent Islamophobic outbursts are a part of that. The populism of increasing swathes of the Conservative base is connected to a broad sentiment of suspicion regarding Muslim communities, and that has reared its head many times over the past decade.
None of that is clearer than in recent months, with the fallout from Israel’s war on Gaza playing out on Britain’s streets. The populism of the far right, with its deep connection to Islamophobia, white supremacy and anti-Muslim bigotry, has lined up behind Israel’s bombardment of a largely Muslim and non-white population. But instead of condemning that trend, much of the Conservative leadership has focused on demonising pro-Palestinian protesters instead.
When confronted with these recent outbursts, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and many other senior Conservative figures refused to acknowledge that these were direct expressions of Islamophobia. Mr Anderson was suspended from the party, so there was a recognition that something wrong had been said, but there was no public acknowledgment that his speech was Islamophobic. It was striking to see Conservative figures, including Mr Sunak himself, admit that Mr Anderson’s comments were “wrong” but refuse to say why they were wrong. In the case of Ms Truss or Ms Braverman, there was not even any condemnation.
The UK is heading into an election cycle later this year. Research shows that this kind of populist bigotry increases when political campaigning is at its peak. Britons need to see examples of leadership, and not simply examples of politicians pandering to their supporters’ baser instincts.
To do otherwise comes with a significant cost. The security services managed to foil this recent terrorist plot against the Muslim community. But with so many politicians providing the mood music for such extremism, we may have a lot more to deal with before we know it.
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The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
Zayed Sustainability Prize
if you go
The flights
Flydubai offers three daily direct flights to Sarajevo and, from June, a daily flight from Thessaloniki from Dubai. A return flight costs from Dhs1,905 including taxes.
The trip
The Travel Scientists are the organisers of the Balkan Ride and several other rallies around the world. The 2018 running of this particular adventure will take place from August 3-11, once again starting in Sarajevo and ending a week later in Thessaloniki. If you’re driving your own vehicle, then entry start from €880 (Dhs 3,900) per person including all accommodation along the route. Contact the Travel Scientists if you wish to hire one of their vehicles.
Company%20profile
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PAKISTAN v SRI LANKA
Twenty20 International series
Thu Oct 26, 1st T20I, Abu Dhabi
Fri Oct 27, 2nd T20I, Abu Dhabi
Sun Oct 29, 3rd T20I, Lahore
Tickets are available at www.q-tickets.com
The years Ramadan fell in May
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The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: ten-speed
Power: 420bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: Dh325,125
On sale: Now
The five pillars of Islam
Read more about the coronavirus
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
INDIA SQUAD
Rohit Sharma (captain), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), KL Rahul, Suresh Raina, Manish Pandey, Dinesh Karthik (wicketkeeper), Deepak Hooda, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Vijay Shankar, Shardul Thakur, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohammad Siraj and Rishabh Pant (wicketkeeper)
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Power: 110 horsepower
Torque: 147Nm
Price: From Dh59,700
On sale: now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
Zakat definitions
Zakat: an Arabic word meaning ‘to cleanse’ or ‘purification’.
Nisab: the minimum amount that a Muslim must have before being obliged to pay zakat. Traditionally, the nisab threshold was 87.48 grams of gold, or 612.36 grams of silver. The monetary value of the nisab therefore varies by current prices and currencies.
Zakat Al Mal: the ‘cleansing’ of wealth, as one of the five pillars of Islam; a spiritual duty for all Muslims meeting the ‘nisab’ wealth criteria in a lunar year, to pay 2.5 per cent of their wealth in alms to the deserving and needy.
Zakat Al Fitr: a donation to charity given during Ramadan, before Eid Al Fitr, in the form of food. Every adult Muslim who possesses food in excess of the needs of themselves and their family must pay two qadahs (an old measure just over 2 kilograms) of flour, wheat, barley or rice from each person in a household, as a minimum.
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Types of bank fraud
1) Phishing
Fraudsters send an unsolicited email that appears to be from a financial institution or online retailer. The hoax email requests that you provide sensitive information, often by clicking on to a link leading to a fake website.
2) Smishing
The SMS equivalent of phishing. Fraudsters falsify the telephone number through “text spoofing,” so that it appears to be a genuine text from the bank.
3) Vishing
The telephone equivalent of phishing and smishing. Fraudsters may pose as bank staff, police or government officials. They may persuade the consumer to transfer money or divulge personal information.
4) SIM swap
Fraudsters duplicate the SIM of your mobile number without your knowledge or authorisation, allowing them to conduct financial transactions with your bank.
5) Identity theft
Someone illegally obtains your confidential information, through various ways, such as theft of your wallet, bank and utility bill statements, computer intrusion and social networks.
6) Prize scams
Fraudsters claiming to be authorised representatives from well-known organisations (such as Etisalat, du, Dubai Shopping Festival, Expo2020, Lulu Hypermarket etc) contact victims to tell them they have won a cash prize and request them to share confidential banking details to transfer the prize money.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
