lord of the blog

« August 2006 | Main | October 2006 »

Friday, September 29, 2006

Muslim News

As the next issue of Muslim News comes out at the end of October I thought readers of my blog should have the privilege of reading the article they are going to publish in advance.

You read it here first!

Sometime before the September 11th attack on the twin towers I was warned by a Muslim who I have known for many years and whom I hold in high regard that the preacher at the Finsbury Park Mosque was inciting violence. I listened carefully to what he had to say and passed his concerns on to the Home Office.

I was asked by other Muslims in my constituency to close down the Finsbury Park Mosque. I said that I didn’t think we should close down Mosques. I was also told that some Muslims were calling for violence but they were “only Wahidis”. I assumed this was an internal dispute and thought little more of it.

All that was before September 11th.

As an opposition Labour MP during the Serbian ethnic cleansing of Bosnia I called for military intervention. Europe wrung its hands but did little. The atrocities at Srebrenica were, in my view, one of the main reasons that recruitment into terror groups escalated so sharply. After all, if Europe was not going to intervene when white European Muslims were being butchered by white European Christians what chance was there for Muslims elsewhere? I don’t support that belief but I have little doubt that it was a factor motivating some of these extremists.

When the Serbs started on the Kosovo Muslims we did intervene. I was greatly relieved and so were the Muslims – particularly in Kosovo. Tony Blair was declared a hero by Kosovo Muslims.

This has been a long and tortuous road for both Muslims and non Muslims. I know that foreign policy is a factor in the discontent and the failure to deal effectively and fairly with the Israel/Palestine question is profoundly important and Tony Blair is now heavily criticised by Muslims.

I believe most people in Britain want to avoid stereotyping Muslims as terrorists but I really don’t think it helps either Muslims or non Muslims if you say, as you do in your editorial that terrorism has “very little to do with religion”.

You talk in the same editorial about failed prosecutions leading to scepticism. True but you almost imply that all accusations and attacks are unreal. The failed ricin prosecution you refer to was matched by a successful ricin prosecution in France leading to long prison sentences.

The planned attack on the Eiffel Tower, the attack in New York, in India, in Indonesia and a number of other countries, many of them Muslim, cannot be explained by politics alone.

Islam has a long and proud history of progress behind it. What is happening now is a struggle for the heart and soul of Islam. None Muslims find it difficult to help. I am convinced the extremists will not win as long as there is an open recognition that there is a religious struggle within Islam as well as political causes for the current wave of terrorism.

If you don’t recognise the importance of the internal religious struggle it will play into the hands of racists and your other opponents who can easily claim that Muslims only blame the West and believe that everything within Islam is peace and harmony. That is not what the Muslims who came to me about Finsbury Park Mosque said.

The majority of British people are tolerant and anxious not to stereotype Muslims. But this large and supportive section of British society needs help from the Muslim community too.

Failure to acknowledge a religious aspect to the current wave of terrorist attacks around the world defies common sense. France was not involved in Iraq neither was Indonesia. Many of the attacks have been against Muslim states and accompanied by supportive statements from groups claiming Muslim legitimacy for the attacks. Osama Bin Laden states that his aim is to reclaim the sacred sites in Saudi Arabia.

These attacks and planned attacks do have a religious content as well as a political one and both need to be addressed in equal measure. The Muslim News is well placed to lead that debate.

Will you rise to the challenge?

Labour Party Conference

I attended the conference from Monday  to Wednesday so I missed John Prescott and John Reid on Thursday. Bill Clinton and Gordon Brown made excellent speeches but Tony Blair really did do the star turn. It was a lovely quip about Cherrie not "running off with the bloke next door" and put the Daily Mail headline firmly in the dustbin of trivial, even if true, gossip.

It was quite emotional at times and you could hear Tony's voice close to breaking. For me it was a reminder of all those years in opposition and then the achievments of ten years of government and finally a reminder of the importance of continuing our programme of reform.

I think even Tony's enemies were impressed and I suspect a lot of people will regret his going and even more the manner of it. (Don't give up Ingrid - you have to give the new leader a chance whoever it is!)

I think the new leader will be Gordon and I am very likely to support him when it comes to the vote - but no guarantees just yet. A lot can happen in 6 - 12 months!

We do seem to have put the appaling and embarrasing power struggle behind us for the moment but we owe the public an apology. It was no way to conduct ourselves. No body comes out of it smelling of roses and I think Gordon has damaged his image with the public.

I attended the Euston Group meeting where a number of us were talking about the need for a better intervention policy. The attendance was good especially as it was only advertised by handing out leaflets on the day. 

It was also good to see the environment going up the agenda so fast. This is going to be an important issue at the next general election.

As I was walking through Acton yesterday a woman who is a near neighbour called me over and told me how she was in tears during Tony's speech. She is one of those who has benfited from many of the extra child support policies we have brought in and is now hoping to get some training to work. She has never worked since leaving school which must be 15 years ago if not more. Her five year old has just started school and she wants to move nearer the school - it is only a 10 minute walk away! I pointed this out but she put me firmly in my place by saying that our street was quite nice except for some of the people nearby!

I must stop coming back drunk and smashing windows at the weekend!

Sunday, September 24, 2006

The future of this blog

Andrew Price (supported by Andrew Baker) wonders if I have joined the pipe, slippers and cognac brigade. Not yet Andrew! But it is the case that I am still working out where I can make my best contributions in the future.

Theoretically I am retired in that I am a pensioner of a noble 67 years! Like many pensioners however giving up all together is not too attractive. The pipe and slippers are not yet at the door (but if you know of a good cognac please let me know!).

There was a period towards the end of my time in the Commons when my work as an MP was winding down so helping to put political blogs on the map seemed a good idea. I think I was the third or fourth MP in the field but blogging MP's are now more common.

A blog from the Lords is also quite useful and so I suppose is my alleged senior politician/statesman role. But I am not sure that I want to keep the blog going at the past rate.

There is an element of pipe and slippers in that I enjoy walks in the countryside and doing some of the things I never had time for before. I can even cook the dinner for my family now – good healthy food (sometimes). And yes, Andy I like the idea of a health “bar” marker on foods and I hear your plea to head up the Quango!

Putting it into current jargon my work/life balance is changing. My work in the Lords is increasing as it was bound to do and I run two charities – the Mary Seacole Memorial Statue Appeal ( http://www.maryseacole.com/maryseacole/pages/ ) and the Arab-Jewish Forum. Both take up a fair bit of time. I also have my part time role as Campaign Director of Future Heathrow (www.futureheathrow.com) which will continue for a few more months or until the middle of next year when the future of the airport will be decided.

I shall probably start writing articles again soon. In fact I have just finished one for the Muslim News on the issue of the struggle for the future of Islam. They tell me they intend to publish it soon so I will also put it on this blog. Other articles on various issue will follow soon.

So my dilemma is this: Do I just put my contributions in the Lords (extracted from Hansard) on this blog along with any articles I write and occasional comments on current political issues? That will inevitably mean far less frequent postings. Or do I accept that my blogging career is over and arrange a champagne funeral for it? Or is there a third way! If so what is it?

So this born again atheist puts his future in the hands of the great blogosphere in the sky. Oh great and wise bloggers - guide me to a better future. Show me the light and the way!

Saturday, September 23, 2006

The God Delusion

There is a good review by Joan Bakewell of Richard Dawkins new book "The God Delusion" in the Guardian review section today.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/scienceandnature/0,,1878862,00.html

Apparently he explores the possible natural selection reasons that might explain human willingness to die for religion. If so it is a timely search. I have often thought that having a strong religious belief should make dying or losing someone close to you that little bit easier.

I also think that we are entering a phase where religion replaces political ideology as the driving force for peoples group identity. It won't be the first time in human history.

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Responses

Obesity. In the 19th century it was sometimes argued that TB was caused by "moral turpitude". Fortunately there was a counter argument that said it was a medical condition caused, or aggravated, by poverty and social conditions.

We now have a lot of evidence that obesity increases the chances of diabetes, blindness and possibly, depression. None of that means that obesity is "caused" by moral turpitude Neither does it suggest that people who are obese can easily control it if only they would be a bit more "responsible".

The issue is a public health issue as well as a problem for some but not all obese people. If being obese causes the person no distress and they are happy then society can and should accept it. There are two difficult aspects to this problem:

1. Do we legislate to control advertising? Or do we inform and advise?

2. What about children who are obese? The Child's welfare is supposed to be paramount. So if the evidence confirms, as it does, that obesity in children causes other serious health problems does the state take no action?

I acknowledge that the dividing line between personal responsibility and the responsibility of governments is difficult to define and inconsistencies abound. Making people wear seat belts is an example. But I take the view that some legislation about food content combined with an information/advice campaign is desirable.

Gordon Brown. I don't think I have ever suggested there should not be an election for the leader of the Labour Party.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Labour Party leadership

The statements yesterday by Tony Blair and Gordon Brown MIGHT calm things down but it's a big MIGHT!

These events develop a life of their own and  the remarks by Charles Clark in the Evening Standard today demonstrate how the main players can easily lose control of events. (That should bring comfort to all those who worry about control freakery!)

I think the last few days have damaged Gordon and it could trigger a more powerful leadership challenge.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Tony Blair

Events move fast in politics! I thought the best time for the PM to resign was at conference next year. That is increasingly unlikely and I now think that unless Tony Blair decides to do a Harold Wilson then the best option is early next year.

The PLP has great influence at times like this. If they decide the present position is untenable then frankly it will remain untenable and change will happen fast! The real danger for the Labour Party is that an enforced resignation creates the risk of continuing conflict based on personalities and groups. There are few deep ideological differences which may prove to be our saving grace.