Labour minister Ahmed decries surge in anti-Muslim hate

Health minister Zubir Ahmed has said he doesn’t blame Islamophobes for Islamophobia.

Why not?

It’s actually the algorithm’s fault.

Labour health minister defends Islamophobes

He said that these right-wing racists don’t know any better, and are:

inundated and attacked every minute of the day with algorithmic content.

And? Arguing this is “new” or that they’re impressionable is hogwash. The logic doesn’t add up. Haven’t you ever been told , Ahmed, that you can’t polish a turd? Anti-Muslim hate and general bigotry are exactly what it says on the tin — hate and bigotry.

Racist begets racism

Ahmed, a surgeon by training, shares that he sometimes wears ‘visibly Muslim garb’ when he goes out to gauge the reactions of passersby. Despite his medical accolades, including life-saving surgeries, he himself faces racist comments. For example, people have said, ‘Thanks for the transplant, now go home.’

Ahmed referenced the media’s determined push to drive the “Overton window” of acceptable political discussion ever further right. This process has been underway for decades. As a result, extremist, openly racist right-wing views are now treated as ‘normal’. Moreover, Ahmed warned that it has accelerated over the last year.

Islamophobia? But where?

This is hardly surprising, given that Starmer’s government, committed to Israel, demonises Palestinians. Under Starmer’s leadership, the party has openly been courting the racist right. Furthermore, it has shamelessly demonised Muslims in by-election contests – before and after getting into government.

Starmer also watered down the government’s definition of ‘anti-Muslim hate’, removing the word ‘Islamophobia’ in response to complaints from the hard right and the Israel lobby. The lobby was offended at the definition’s similarity to the so-called ‘IHRA definition’ of antisemitism. Yet, it is still attacked by Islamophobic media. However, Ahmed says that it is still “the right diagnosis for the illness” of Islamophobia.

With its long history of Islamophobia among its ruling right, Labour is of course not the party for Muslims and has haemorrhaged Muslim support since Keir Starmer took over.

Featured image via the Canary