Top Muslim quits Labour over Iraq

Mr Maan said the party had let its membership down

Scotland's representative on the Muslim Council of Great Britain has resigned from the Labour Party in protest over the war in Iraq.

Bashir Maan - a former Glasgow city councillor - has allowed his party membership to lapse after 30 years.

Mr Maan said that the leadership of the party had let the membership down with its stance on Iraq.

A Scottish Labour spokesman said the party was "always disappointed" to lose members in such circumstances.

Mr Maan told BBC Scotland that the current Labour Party was not the same one that he had signed up to three decades ago.

'Very disappointed'

He said: "The current government has let the Labour Party down. I joined the party 30 years ago considering its passionate, humane and just policies. Those policies have gone now.

"Therefore, it is no use for me to remain within the party."

He added: "The Iraq situation has exacerbated the situation, we already know that over 100,000 Iraqis have been killed by combined forces.

"In Falluja they are going to kill many thousands more. This government is supporting American oppression."

Mohammad Sarwar, Labour MP for Glasgow Govan, said he was "very disappointed" with Mr Maan's decision.

He said: " I believe that we should not make our decisions just on one particular issue. We should try and raise the Muslim voice within the Labour Party and within the Labour movement."