Islamophobia is bad at the best of times. It is not compatible with our British values and has no place in the United Kingdom. Yet, at the worst of times, a contender for leadership of the Conservative Party has decided to spout it. In the midst of devastating far-right riots, riots targeting people because of their religion and ethnicity, Robert Jenrick decided to say that protesters shouting “Allahu Akbar” should have been “immediately arrested”. Thank you, Robert, thanks a lot, but you’re seriously not helping!
Who is Robert Jenrick?
Born in Wolverhampton, Robert Jenrick was elected as a Conservative MP in the 2014 Newark by-election. He defeated the UK Independence Party candidate Roger Helmer despite suffering a 15.5% swing against him and a majority reduction of 12.5%. He narrowly held onto his seat in the 2024 general election.
Now, Robert Jenrick is the third Conservative MP to have entered the race for leadership of the Conservative Party and Official Opposition. Despite being once seen as a centrist in the Conservatives, he has since moved more to the right of the party and champions Britain’s withdrawal from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
But what was the point in beating UKIP ten years ago, if only to turn into a de-facto UKIP member? I refer, of course, to his recent Islamophobic comments.
Words and consequences
Referring to peaceful protests calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, Robert Jenrick told Sky News “I thought it was quite wrong that somebody could shout Allahu Akbar on the streets of London and not be immediately arrested”.
He later followed this up with a post on X, formerly Twitter, saying “Allahu Akbar is spoken peacefully and spiritually by millions of British Muslims in their daily lives. But the aggressive chanting below is intimidatory and threatening. And it’s an offence under Section 4 and 5 of the Public Order Act”. Below his words he posted a video of a march through Bolton with people chanting “Allahu Akbar”.
Thankfully, his comments on Sky News and subsequent social media post were called out for what they were by representatives in his own party, as well as by others across the political spectrum.
But too late. England is facing some of its worst rioting in recent times as communities are devastated, businesses are looted, mosques are targeted and people are attacked because of religion and the colour of their skin. Police trying to contain the violence are being injured and comments like Jenrick’s only throw fuel onto the fire.
There is no debate on this. The riots are not because of the horrific Southport stabbings. Right-wing radicals spread misinformation online which threw the Islamophobic implications to the rest of the right-wing thugs who ate it up to excuse their hatred. The misinformation was debunked yet the riots continue, proving that this is all ‘self-justification’ for their violence and nothing to do with Southport.
And yet, Robert Jenrick joins the likes of Nigel Farage, Lee Anderson and the rest of the extreme right of the Conservative Party and Reform UK in emboldening the far-right thugs with their racist rhetoric. They may speak of two-tier policing, yet I haven’t heard much condemnation of the violence from them. The likes of Priti Patel and Suella Braverman should be all over this, shouldn’t they? Or like the police (allegedly), are they two-tier as well?
This is not England
Once again, I find myself having to write about how violence, hatred and racism are not England. As racist thugs inappropriately carry our St George’s Cross and Union Flag into their sadistic ‘battlefield’, the image of England that the ethnic minorities within as well as the populations of the nations of the world get, is one of intolerance and isolation. You are not welcome here, is the implied message that comes with all the images and videos as well as Jenrick’s comments.
But this couldn’t be more wrong! England is a land of many religions and cultures, nationalities and races, ethnicities and heritage. It’s what makes the country so alive, so interesting and so diverse. All of it is welcome, the people welcome it, the communities welcome it and the new government welcomes it.
The politics of Jenrick and Farage were widely rejected by the British voters at the last election. Across England, the Conservatives lost 238 seats and 21.3% of their vote. 6,429,820 voters turned their backs on the party and left them with a pitiful 25.9% of the vote. Yes, Reform UK did achieve 15.3% of the vote and gain five seats but add them together and it only totals 41.2% as opposed to 54.9% for Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party alone, let alone all the other left-wing parties and independent candidates.
England is a nation of inclusion and tolerance. We love everyone, despite the image these rioting thugs give off. And the toxic politics of Robert Jenrick and Nigel Farage or not representative of England, they are not endorsed by the majority. So, thank you for your words, Robert, but if you want my advice, keep commenting like that and the British electorate will keep you where you belong: the political dustbin. If you’re lucky, they might let you stay in opposition as opposed to electoral oblivion.
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