AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): A video released by Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, in which he speaks about nominating a Muslim candidate for the London mayoral election to attract Muslim voters, has triggered a wave of political and media backlash in Britain.
In the video, Farage says his party has selected a Muslim woman to run against Sadiq Khan in the London mayoral race, arguing that part of the Muslim community will support Reform UK. He also claims that Muslim votes, traditionally seen as backing the Labour Party, are now shifting.
Critics say the remarks contradict Farage’s earlier positions on Muslims and reflect the political exploitation of religious identity for electoral gain. According to them, the Reform UK leader resorts to identity politics when it suits his interests, despite previously criticizing the same approach.
The party’s nominee for London mayor is Leila Cunningham, a British citizen of Egyptian heritage who previously served as a prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service before entering politics. She was elected in 2022 as a Westminster City councillor for the Conservative Party and later joined Reform UK.
However, some of Cunningham’s past statements have also drawn controversy. In an earlier interview, she said women wearing the burqa should be stopped and searched by police, arguing that covering the face could signal criminal intent. She also said, “There should be one shared, British civic culture,” and added that in parts of London, “the atmosphere has become like a Muslim city.”
These remarks previously prompted reactions from Muslim activists. Shabnam Gohar, an independent member of the House of Lords and director of the Muslim Women’s Network UK, said such rhetoric damages Muslims’ sense of belonging and can embolden individuals with anti-Islam tendencies.
Analysts say the nomination of a Muslim candidate is being used by the party to present a more acceptable image of its policies. Rather than building trust, they argue, the move has raised fresh questions about the sincerity and real approach of Reform UK toward London’s Muslim community.
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