Cons To Have First muslim MP, Says Cameron

Conservative Leader, David Cameron, has predicted that his party will have its first Muslim MP after the forthcoming general elections. In an exclusive interview with the Editor of The Muslim News, Ahmed J Versi, last week, he believes that if the Tories win, the number of ethnic minority MPs from his Party could increase from two to 15. “There’s a big change taking place and that’s very positive,” he said, while acknowledging it remained far short of being proportionately represented.

Answering questions on a wide range of issues related to Muslims in the run up to the general election, Cameron insisted that his Party would not follow Labour in restoring formal relations with the Muslim Council of Britain until it went further in clarifying its stance over the issue of last year’s Istanbul Declaration. Despite it being the largest umbrella organising representing the community, he said that the Tories “should have a very positive relationship” with Muslims and their representatives. His envision of Britain in the next 25 years was of a multi-ethnic society, being better at “fostering a sense of togetherness” and building a strong British identity.

On counter-terrorism, the Tory Leader pledged to carry out a review of the discredited Prevent strategy “on the basis of what is effective.” He could not say it would be changed “in the way everyone would like,” but that it would be reviewed “on the basis of evidence.” Issues about extremism that needed to be addressed “because it is very dangerous for our country” included too many people believing in “myths like 9/11 was a Mossad plot,” he said, but also accepted these were not confined to some Muslims and were shared by non-Muslims too.

Cameron believes that there were adequate provisions on incitement to violence and on public order offences to prosecute right wing white extremists trying to use loopholes to incite religious hatred against Muslims, which the police should feel free to use, although he was always willing to look at proposals to tighten the legislation. He remained adamant that anyone preaching hatred and violence should not be welcomed into Britain, but with regard to anti-Muslim extremists like the Dutch MP Geert Wilder, he said he did not know enough about him to make a decision.

On the Afghanistan war, the Tory leader was convinced that it “should make our country safer.” Regarding the Middle East conflict, he supported the Government’s position in seeking a two-state solution, emphasising that Britain remained a friend to Israel. In contrast, he viewed Iran much differently to justify the imposition of sanctions because of its nuclear programme but not against Israel’s existing arsenal. “We should be very clear about what is right and what is wrong, and we have been in respect to Israel,” he said.

SOURCE