Opposing Sectarian Voting

Leicester Secular Society condemns the recent sectarian appeal to voters by “Make the Muslim Vote Count” https://themuslimvote.co.uk , a Birmingham based organisation which states that -

“Our goal is simple

This election signals a shift for Muslims – no more political apathy. We will no longer tolerate being taken for granted. We are a powerful, united force of 4 million acting in unison.

We are focused on seats where the Muslim vote can influence the outcome. We are here for the long term. In 2024, we will lay the foundations for our community’s political future.”

Links to this organisation have appeared on election leaflets urging electors to vote for Claudia Webbe who is standing as an Independent in Leicester East.

The organisation claims that "This is not a religious campaign - it is a political one”. However this is contradicted by their use of the word Muslim and their statement that "We are a powerful, united force of 4 million acting in unison." 

The appeal to Muslim voters could be unlawful as “undue influence” under s.114A Representation of the People Act which currently includes “(e) causing spiritual injury to, or placing undue spiritual pressure on, a person”.

If the organisation confined itself to either encouraging Muslims to vote without putting pressure on them to vote in a particular way, or ignored religion and encouraged people of all religions to support their objectives, then there would be no problem. However, once electorates split along sectarian lines, voting as a religious group, rather than for a programme of policies, civil violence is often the consequence, as demonstrated by Northern Ireland and the problems in the Indian subcontinent.