Muslims urged to make votes count

Muslims are urged to fight the far right at the ballot box

Community leaders are urging Muslims to turn out and vote in the local and European elections to counter the "threat" from the political far right.

In an open letter to the Islamic community, the Muslim Council of Britain warns a low turnout on 10 June could hand success to the BNP.

It claims a party political broadcast by the BNP last week was threatening and anti-Muslim.

The BNP said the party was not a threat to the Muslim community.

'Fascist-leaning'

The letter from the council urges Muslims to turn out to oppose the "menacing" BNP at the polls.

The rise of the far right parties poses a dangerous threat to our communitie Muslim Council of Britain Read the letter here Q&A: The Muslim vote

The party needs about 5% of the vote to win a seat on the Greater London Authority, it points out.

It also urges both men and women to turn out to oppose a party it considers to be "fascist-leaning".

The council said that the BNP would need less than 10% of the vote to win a seat on the Greater London Authority or in the European Parliament - successes which would entitle it to public funding.

"The rise of the far right parties poses a dangerous threat to our communities," the letter says.

Mobilise youth

Inayat Bunglawala, spokesman for the MCB, said: "We all know there is usually a low turn-out at these elections and it's in these situations that small parties like the BNP are able to magnify their support."

Fringe groups may claim that people should not vote - but it's no use carping from the sidelines Inayat Bunglawala, Spokesman. MCB

Mr Bunglawala said Muslim leaders had been steadily working within their communities to try and get an increased turn-out at elections - not least in northern towns where the BNP vote has risen.

"We understand that there is disenchantment among Muslims, especially among the young.

"They marched in huge numbers with their fellow non-Muslim citizens against the war in Iraq and the mainstream parties ignored them.

"While fringe groups may claim that people should not vote, Islam says people should fully participate in all of the society in which they live, and that includes voting.

"It's no use carping from the sidelines."

Mr Bunglawala said "groundwork" to encourage young Muslims to vote was continuing in areas which had experienced both a rise in the far right vote and the riots of 2001.

"Trouble like we saw three years ago plays into the hands of extremists," he said.

"We have to show our strength at the ballot box."

Church campaign

Churches are also campaigning against the BNP and its policies on race and asylum in particular.

The BNP has claimed it has been misrepresented in their campaign.

Inclusiveness in British society should not be compulsory but left to the voters to decide, it has said.

Speaking to BBC Radio Five Live, BNP press officer Dr Phil Edwards denied the party was a threat to the Muslim community and called the council's letter "a threat to democracy".

"They are threatening the democratic process by trying to influence people to vote against a party which supports the aims and aspirations of the indigenous population of this country," he said.