London is not English

The furore in the British press about “islamophobia” is missing context. London is not an English city, Sadiq Khan did describe moderate muslims as “Uncle Toms” and Lee Anderson said that both Starmer and Khan were controlled by islamist extremists.

The first of these contextual points is most interesting. 41% of the population of London was born outside the UK:

The foreign born population of London has more children than the group with English ancestry so now only 36% of Londoners identify as “White British” (a minority). The White English are probably only 30% of the population. (See Wikipedia: Demographics of London). The Internationalists say the change is due to “White Flight” to avoid the truth that it is due to migration and the relatively large families of migrants coupled with the fact that the older white English population, as ever, retires outside London. As always, the English are blamed and the obvious truth ignored.

No-one can expect London to operate according to English values. It is now a migrant city that inserts its values into the London centred media.

15% of the population of London are Muslim. This is enough to swing the Mayoral election. Islam is a public religion in Islamic countries. It occupies the public space. The call of the Muezzin is broadcast by loudspeaker across towns and villages five times a day. Women are scorned if they refuse to wear appropriate dress. Even young girls are made to wear chador in school. Women in particular might have every reason to be afraid of the spread of Islam. The idea that being afraid of the growth of Islam is bigotry is false, it is a real and reasonable fear. It is not ‘Islamophobia’.

Islam also has the concept of the ummah. The primary allegiance of Muslims is to this ummah and not the nation in which they live (like Catholics once had a primary allegiance to the Pope and fellow catholics). It says in the Quran:

“O messengers, eat from the good foods and work righteousness. Indeed, I, of what you do, am Knowing. And indeed this, your ummah (nation), is one ummah (nation), and I am your Lord, so fear Me.“ [Qur'an, Surah Al-Mu'minun (The Believers) (23:51–52)]

It is probably the religious duty of Muslims in Britain to support the Palestinian cause.

Islam also contains the doctrines of Taqiyya and Kitman in which lying or refusing to admit adherence to a group is valid to protect Muslims. As an example a leading Muslim politician might believe that Allah would look kindly on any politician who refused to admit sympathy with an Islamist group. Taqiyya and Kitman alone are reasons for worrying about Islam in democratic politics.

Again, the media misses this context and simply describes people who are concerned about the growth of Islam as bigots.