The Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) is stepping up its efforts to mobilise Muslim support for Ken Livingstone ahead of the mayoral elections on May 1st.
In a press release issued today entitled 'Muslims Vote Smart for Mayoral Elections,' MAB President Ahmed Al-Rawi said 'Muslims think a lot more strategically when giving their votes. Ken Livingstone has been an outstanding ambassador for London and Britain. We call on all Londoners to come out on the 1 May to vote for him.'
The MAB's homepage is almost exclusively devoted to covering the mayoral election, with visitors encouraged to 'Vote for Ken' and 'Make a difference: Get involved in Ken's campaign.' A previous MAB press release, 'Your Mayor - But Not If You Don't Act Now,' is also on the homepage, as well as two instalments of 'Boris - My Views on Islam,' listing quotes from Conservative candidate Boris Johnson regarding Islam.
Under the 'Muslims Vote Smart for Mayoral Elections' in the News section of the website, the MAB say '[Y]ou have two choices for Mayoral Candidate,' Ken Livingstone being the first choice and Green Party candidate Sian Berry as second choice. The MAB then lists the candidates that Muslims should vote for constituency by constituency, all of whom are members of either the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, or Respect.
MAB criticise the Conservative Party for 'causing a lot of problems' for Yusuf Qaradawi, presumably a reference to David Cameron's support for the refusal to issue Qaradawi a visa to enter the UK. Qaradawi has in the past defended Palestinian suicide bombing, called for homosexuals to be executed and believes the Asian tsunami was a 'deserved' punishment from Allah for 'alcohol consumption, drug use...and sexual perversion.' The Conservatives are also accused of making some 'extremely Islamophobic' statements.
In the same section of the website, Livingstone and Galloway are described as 'tireless defenders of Muslim issues from - Islamaphobia, Anti Terror Legislations, Faith Schools, War in Iraq and supporting the Palestinian Cause.'
