A Green Party candidate shouted “Allahu Akbar!......

Presumably this means Kate Forbes religion isn't an issue. I assume the same rules apply.

Can anyone link the Daily Mail article on this councillor? Apologies I’m hopeless at links. The article is ‘interesting’ and I suspect won’t endear this man to most if us

Cossy

And…… It simply means “god is great” A bit like one exclaiming “thank god” or “thank the lord” If he’d been Welsh and expressed something similar in Welsh would you be so aghast? He is Muslim!

Having said that I don’t think local British councillors should be winning votes based on their stance on Gaza, irrespective of their own beliefs and religion.

Having said that I don’t think local British councillors should be winning votes based on their stance on Gaza, irrespective of their own beliefs and religion.

I posted that on another thread.

I really think local councillors should be campaigning on local issues and promising to work and do the best for their local residents.

He was championing a cause for a foreign country, not this one, not his neighbours or his towns people. A foreign country, to which he has possibly never even visited. That alone should have barred him from standing as a councilor in the UK. Partisan politics.

I give up!

And…… It simply means “god is great” A bit like one exclaiming “thank god” or “thank the lord” If he’d been Welsh and expressed something similar in Welsh would you be so aghast? He is Muslim! Having said that I don’t think local British councillors should be winning votes based on their stance on Gaza, irrespective of their own beliefs and religion.

Totally agree Cossy.

MaizieD

I agree with you, Cossy. I did know already about his Gaza stance, was there any more shocking disclosure than that in the DT article?

I don't think it was an appropriate platform to run on, either (but then, I suspect that was how George Galloway gained his Oldham victory, too...).

But, for all we know, this guy might turn out to be an excellent councillor.

Wouldn't hold your breath. Obviously muslim concerns come first.

Curtaintwitcher, Tony Blair didn’t invite the large Muslim population, largely of Pakistani heritage into my former cotton town, the govt in the 50’s and 60’s did. We needed their skill working cotton. They came, worked and their extended families continue to arrive. The British Empire links this country to so many countries. English a second language alongside links through the empire

Cossy it has been a verbal act of faith that has been appropriated, it precipitated many violent acts, hence the unfortunate association. I imagine there are a vast amount of ordinary Muslims who were dismayed at the way it was nuanced in such a way, that killing infidels somehow glorified their cause and honoured their God. It's unfortunately the phrase that resounds quite often in the instance of an Islamic act of terror, hence a certain amount of alarm.

I'm surprised that more people in the public eye haven't expressed concern about how trouble in the Middle East has influenced the recent election results.
If only more people understood the difference in the way Muslims think. In their eyes, if you are pro-Israel, you are anti-Muslim. They don't understand that you can sympathise with the Palestinians but still support Israel.
This is something which must be addressed because it is going to cause more and more division, and give terrorists excuse to attack Christian sites.
It's a pity Tony Blair didn't have the intellect to anticipate this happening before he opened the doors to all and sundry.

I agree with you, Cossy. I did know already about his Gaza stance, was there any more shocking disclosure than that in the DT article?

I don't think it was an appropriate platform to run on, either (but then, I suspect that was how George Galloway gained his Oldham victory, too...).

But, for all we know, this guy might turn out to be an excellent councillor.

Muslim not Muslin!

TerriBull

I think it's not the meaning. but the associations of it being uttered by those who have in the past committed acts of terrorism and it was a prolific phrase used by young Jihadis, that unfortunately is the context of how its perceived I imagine.

But nevertheless many good, decent, law abiding Muslims use this phrase in good faith. As I said earlier, the phrase didn’t bother me in the slightest, but on reading slighter further he gained Muslins votes solely based on his Gaza stance (to which I am empathetic) but I don’t feel it’s appropriate for local candidates for local councils to use international affairs to gain votes. It should be about serving local people in local communities.

I saw that in a different paper, possibly removed now as well because of the implication. What was wrong in saying `thank god` in English

lemsip

oh, for goodness sake read the rest first!

The Telegraph is behind a pay wall which I don't intend to subscribe to, and it has a reputation for pandering to the sort of people who are writing the anti 'illegal immigrant' posts on these threads. Do you have anything more accessible and less biased to link to?

Hardly likely to shout Rule Britannia in the circumstances.

I think it's not the meaning. but the associations of it being uttered by those who have in the past committed acts of terrorism and it was a prolific phrase used by young Jihadis, that unfortunately is the context of how its perceived I imagine.

Oreo

It’s a problem for the reason that Cossy gives in the last paragraph.

thank you Oreo

oh, for goodness sake read the rest first!

It’s a problem for the reason that Cossy gives in the last paragraph.

"a phrase meaning ‘God is most great’, used by Muslims in prayers and as a general declaration of faith or thanksgiving."

Why is this a problem?

And…… It simply means “god is great” A bit like one exclaiming “thank god” or “thank the lord” If he’d been Welsh and expressed something similar in Welsh would you be so aghast? He is Muslim!

Having said that I don’t think local British councillors should be winning votes based on their stance on Gaza, irrespective of their own beliefs and religion.

I tried to read it but it said the page had moved?