Labour is set to lose the West Midlands Mayoral election because of anger among Muslim voters over its stance on Gaza, party sources fear, adding to the shock loss in Oldham and struggles elsewhere. The Telegraph has more.
Insiders warned that a marked shift in support amongst the city’s Muslim population could cost them their chance of victory.
They said Muslim voters had swung heavily behind an independent candidate, backed by George Galloway, who campaigned predominantly on Gaza.
A failure to unseat Andy Street, the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, would represent a setback for Sir Keir Starmer after otherwise good local elections for his party.
A loss would raise more questions over how his stance on Gaza, especially his early refusal to back a ceasefire, has damaged Labour’s standing among Muslims.
While the election took place on Thursday, the votes are not set to be counted until Saturday, when the result will be announced at around 3pm.
Surveys ahead of the race suggested that it was neck-and-neck with Richard Parker, the Labour candidate, polling just two points behind Mr. Street.
But it appears the Labour campaign has been derailed by Akhmed Yakoob [pictured], the independent who has been backed by Mr Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain. …
Failure to win the Mayoralty would represent another blow after Labour lost control of Oldham council and struggled for support in Bolton and parts of Newcastle.
In all three places, it faced challenges from pro-Palestinian independents and the Greens, who have called for an arms export embargo on Israel.
Defeated councillors in Oldham said anger over Sir Keir’s stance on Gaza had been a decisive factor in the loss of several seats to independents.
Darren Jones, the Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, admitted the loss of support amongst Muslim voters was worrying for the party.
Worth reading in full.
It could be that this is a kicking in the local elections that voters won’t give in the General Election. But either way, it shows that the Israel-Palestine conflict is at the very top of concerns for many Muslims and that this is a threat to Labour’s long-cultivated multicultural support base.
Stop Press: Labour has become embroiled in an internal racism row after a party source told BBC Midlands Today: “It’s the Middle East, not West Midlands that will have won Street the Mayoralty. Once again Hamas are the real villains.” MPs have claimed the remark conflates Muslim voters with Hamas and the central Labour party has distanced itself from the “racist” comment.
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