Agenda item

To consider the following Motion received under Procedure Rule 10:

BWD Council is proud to be viewed as one of the best examples of community cohesion in the country and welcomes the recent opportunity for officers of the council to be able to showcase examples of best practice on an international stage. Sadly, however, this accolade occurs at a time when examples of race hate are growing in society and are becoming increasingly common in public discourse and this is a cause for serious concern among the communities of the borough.

Tell Mama, the public service that records and monitors anti-Muslim incidents, has recorded a 335% increase in anti Muslim hate cases in the last 4 months compared to the similar period in 2022/2023 and the recent verbal attacks on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, by senior members of the Conservative Party set an alarming precedent in the run-up to what is likely to be an intense set of elections in 2024. At the same time, the number of recorded anti-semitic incidents is growing, often accompanied by physical violence and this is leaving some members of the Jewish community afraid to walk out on the streets of their towns and cities. 

Islamophobic and anti semitic incidents and rhetoric of this kind have no place in the political arena or anywhere in public life in the UK and we call on the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and Sir Kier Starmer, leader of the opposition asking them to ensure that any examples of such rhetoric within their parties are treated with the utmost seriousness and that politicians who indulge in this kind of rhetoric are not tolerated within  the mainstream political parties.

Moved by Councillor Phil Riley

Seconded by Councillor Quesir Mahmood

The Chief Executive announced that the following Motion had been received under Procedure Rule 12:

BWD Council is proud to be viewed as one of the best examples of community cohesion in the country and welcomes the recent opportunity for officers of the council to be able to showcase examples of best practice on an international stage. Sadly, however, this accolade occurs at a time when examples of race hate are growing in society and are becoming increasingly common in public discourse and this is a cause for serious concern among the communities of the borough.

Tell Mama, the public service that records and monitors anti-Muslim incidents, has recorded a 335% increase in anti Muslim hate cases in the last 4 months compared to the similar period in 2022/2023 and the recent verbal attacks on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, by senior members of the Conservative Party set an alarming precedent in the run-up to what is likely to be an intense set of elections in 2024. At the same time, the number of recorded anti-semitic incidents is growing, often accompanied by physical violence and this is leaving some members of the Jewish community afraid to walk out on the streets of their towns and cities. 

Islamophobic and anti semitic incidents and rhetoric of this kind have no place in the political arena or anywhere in public life in the UK and we call on the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and Sir Kier Starmer, leader of the opposition asking them to ensure that any examples of such rhetoric within their parties are treated with the utmost seriousness and that politicians who indulge in this kind of rhetoric are not tolerated within  the mainstream political parties.

Moved by Councillor Phil Riley

Seconded by Councillor Quesir Mahmood

Members then debated the Motion, with Councillor Mustafa Desai, seconded by Councillor Salim Sidat, moving the following amendment, to be inserted at the end of the Motion:

‘’The justified zero tolerance benchmark established towards antisemitism needs to be consistently applied towards Islamophobia and towards protecting all faiths’’.

There then followed debate on the suggested amendment, with Councillor Mustafa Desai agreeing an alteration to remove ‘benchmark’ if the rest of the amendment was incorporated into the original Motion. This was agreed by Council, with the amended Motion, as altered, now reading as follows:

BWD Council is proud to be viewed as one of the best examples of community cohesion in the country and welcomes the recent opportunity for officers of the council to be able to showcase examples of best practice on an international stage. Sadly, however, this accolade occurs at a time when examples of race hate are growing in society and are becoming increasingly common in public discourse and this is a cause for serious concern among the communities of the borough.

Tell Mama, the public service that records and monitors anti-Muslim incidents, has recorded a 335% increase in anti Muslim hate cases in the last 4 months compared to the similar period in 2022/2023 and the recent verbal attacks on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, by senior members of the Conservative Party set an alarming precedent in the run-up to what is likely to be an intense set of elections in 2024. At the same time, the number of recorded anti-semitic incidents is growing, often accompanied by physical violence and this is leaving some members of the Jewish community afraid to walk out on the streets of their towns and cities. 

Islamophobic and anti semitic incidents and rhetoric of this kind have no place in the political arena or anywhere in public life in the UK and we call on the Chief Executive to write to the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, and Sir Kier Starmer, leader of the opposition asking them to ensure that any examples of such rhetoric within their parties are treated with the utmost seriousness and that politicians who indulge in this kind of rhetoric are not tolerated within the mainstream political parties.

The justified zero tolerance established towards antisemitism needs to be consistently applied towards Islamophobia and towards protecting all faiths.

There then followed debate on the amended Motion, during which the Members of the Conservative Group left the Council Chamber and did not return for the remainder of the Meeting.

Following debate, Council Forum then moved to a vote on the amended Motion, which was carried and now became the Substantive Motion.

Council Forum then moved to a vote on the Substantive Motion, which was carried.

RESOLVED – That the Motion be carried.