Border control advocate and Brexit figurehead Nigel Farage has cautioned about the emergence of sectarian politics in Britain, highlighting a top Labour politician’s appeal to a “group of Muslim leaders” for re-election support during the summer general election.
Farage expressed concern over the “small but worryingly growing number of young men… embracing radical views, views that not only lack British values but are extremely anti-British. We observed the recent local elections, where candidates were elected in inner-city districts in Leeds, Burnley, and elsewhere.”
To illustrate his point, Farage referenced leaked footage from a Labour campaign event over the weekend, noting the absence of women in the audience. The speaking MP pleaded to retain her position, promising that a new left-wing government would recognize Palestine as a state in exchange for votes.
Farage commented: “We witnessed the pressure tactics. And you might have noticed that Angela Rayner campaigned in her constituency yesterday, desperately asking a group of Muslim leaders to vote Labour. Not a single woman was present in the room.
“We are transitioning into an era in our inner cities and towns, regretfully, defined by sectarian politics with women being completely marginalized.”
The Angela Rayner speech to what The Daily Mail termed a room full of “Muslim leaders” and which was reportedly recorded on Sunday, comes amid the context of left-wing populist George Galloway winning a recent election by appealing to Muslim anger over Palestine, and a number of European countries recognizing Palestine as a state.
In the footage, Rayner emphasizes the crucial votes the men could deliver. In what Farage described as “begging,” Rayner said clearly and deliberately: “… my voters were very upset with the Labour Party. I stood with you, and you helped me cross the line. You supported me. In constituencies similar to mine, people lost their seats. You were there for me and I don’t believe I could have done that without your support.”
Explaining what she offered her constituents in exchange for their votes, Rayner stated:
I understand the frustration over Middle East issues, and I’ve said live on TV that if resigning as an MP would bring a ceasefire, I would do it. Only last week, the Labour Party supported the ICC, while the Conservatives did not. Therefore, in this general election, we can’t influence these matters unless we are in government. I must be honest with you, our impact may be limited even if Labour gains power, as demonstrated by the limited influence of the U.S. under Biden. … Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and others are working to stop current events. I assure you that Labour aims to recognize Palestine if elected. I will advocate not just for recognition — as there’s currently nothing to recognize due to the devastation — but also for rebuilding Palestine and Gaza, requiring more than mere recognition. It involves significant investment in resources and infrastructure such as teachers and civil servants…
Last week, Spain, Norway, and Ireland announced the recognition of Palestine as a state, and formalized this on Tuesday, pledging to open embassies in the territory. Israel criticized these moves as “rewarding terrorism,” following the October 7th terrorist attacks, rejecting Spain’s rationale of facilitating peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
The group viewed the recognition of Palestine as a step towards achieving a “two-state solution.” Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz accused Spain’s Prime Minister of being “complicit in inciting the Jewish genocide and war crimes.”
While Starmer attempts to moderate Labour by removing Corbyn and his key allies, the effort has alienated the party’s traditionally solid base of Muslim voters. Earlier this year, Labour’s support among Muslim voters reportedly decreased by 40 points over the Israel-Gaza conflict.
This month, a coalition of Muslim activist groups issued demands to Labour in exchange for electoral support, underscoring the rise of sectarian politics noted by Farage. The demands include:
“Labour must commit to recognizing Palestine as a state and imposing sanctions on Israeli companies and settlers. The Muslim vote also demands that Labour vow to sever all military ties with Israel and ban travel for all Israeli politicians involved in prosecuting this war and supporting the illegal occupation.”
