Salma Yaqoob to quit as Birmingham Respect councillor

I've just seen on Salma Yaqoob's website that she is quitting as Respect Party councillor for Sparkbrook on Birmingham City Council. She says -

"This week I told party members, friends and supporters of my decision to resign as the Councillor for Sparkbrook. It has not been an easy decision, but it is one that I have had to make in the interests of my health.

Salma Yaqoob on BBC Question Time

For some time now those close to me have been very aware that I have been battling with health issues. Unfortunately over the past 12 months it has taken a turn for the worse. I have found it increasingly difficult to keep up with my very busy schedule, and to satisfactorily fulfil the commitments that my role demands.

As a result of my worsening health I simply cannot continue to represent Sparkbrook in the way that I think its people deserve."

She doesn't say what is wrong, but it is obviously quite serious. Whilst not being on her side of the fence in politics I never the less have found her to be a principled fighter. I was quite miffed she failed to be elected as an MP. We need a few MPs that are not in the mainstream to talk up the issues in a different light. I hope she is able to be restored to good health very soon.

Read More

Lynne Jones MP praises Respect's Salma Yaqoob

Respect Party candidates are often seen as being left-wing firebrands currying favour with Muslim communities. However, I detect something rather different, particularly in regard to Salma Yaqoob, the leader of the party. Yaqoob is a bright and thoughtful politician. In many respects she portrays a woman whose political theorising is based more on common sense than socialist rhetoric. She is standing in the new constituency of Hall Green which is nothing like the old Hall Green. This is mainly due to the Sparkbrook and Sparkhill areas being included. This will inevitably give Ms Yaqoob a sizeable chunk of support.

What has added a frisson of excitement is that Lynne Jones, the retiring MP for neighbouring Selly Oak has praised Salma Yaqoob saying she would "encourage tactical voting for the person who most shares my values". This is a snub for Roger Godsiff, who is the Labour candidate.

Both Tory and Liberal Democrat candidates think Ms Yaqoob has no chance. I think they may be wrong. In Salma Yaqoob the electors of Hall Green have the chance to vote for a woman who is capable of appealing to the current anti-politician sentiment. She is never likely to succumb to expense scandals or devious political opportunism. In some strange way there is something of the high Tory about her. I suspect she would flinch at such a suggestion. However, I do think her message may well appeal to conservative-minded people with a small "c" and their are plenty of them in Hall Green. Add to that the numbers of more liberally-minded, though unradical, types and she may do far better than her detractors suggest.

Jerry Evans, Liberal Democrat candidate in the constituency has said, "Lynne Jones appears to have got her maths wrong. She quite rightly says the Tories have no chance in Hall Green, but neither do Respect and Ms Yaqoob." Mr.Evans, maths has nothing much to do with this election. There will be more shock surprises that a seismic monitor could cope with. Old party allegiances are somewhere in the clouds. Everyone seems to be either a floating voter or a lethargic armchair critic. Forget the opinion polls - it's every candidate for his or herself against an enigmatic electorate.

Read More

Lets show a little Respect!

I have a sneaking admiration at times for George Galloway, but not that much for his party. Their response to the Ealing Southall By-election has been rather odd on one point. Tony Lit may be criticised for his policies, his newness to the Tory Party, or his previous connections with New Labour, but surely not his language skills.

Those of us who seek an integrated, fair and friendly give-and-take society assume that living in a Britain with sound democratic basis includes conversing in English. Respect says this on their website -

Already shamed by revelations that he gave £4,800 to Labour days before his nomination, Tory Tony Lit made a further fool of himself tonight on the community Venus TV station (Sky Channel 807). Following a phone-in with our candidate Salvinder Dhillon in Hindi and Punjabi, the presenter invited Mr. Lit to speak in a community language, as his whole contribution had been in English. Lit just kept speaking English. He doesn’t speak any community language! Yet he claims to be a local.

So we have "community languages"? Is this de rigeur amongst the supporters of Respect? It's offensive, quite frankly. Those who come from other countries quite naturally speak their own language. They're hardly likely to wake up one morning not remembering a single word. However, if they settle here their children and, more so, their grandchildren will speak English as normally as any other person. Unless of course they feel obliged to "belong" by perpetuating a segregationalist attitude.

Tony Lit is a businessman, who was the Conservative candidate, and who wants to make a contribution in politics. He may come from an Asian background, but his present and future is in England. Why would he want a "community language"? He may choose to learn Hindi or Punjabi, or he may already know one or both, but to suggest he speaks Hindi in order to "be local" is proscribing politics in a very sinister way.

It is a sort of BNP in reverse!

Read More