Debate on the Address
Naz Shah Excerpts(4 weeks, 1 day ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
I beg to move,
That an humble Address be presented to His Majesty, as follows:
Most Gracious Sovereign,
We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects, the Commons of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, in Parliament assembled, beg leave to offer our humble thanks to Your Majesty for the Gracious Speech which Your Majesty has addressed to both Houses of Parliament.
It would be remiss of me not to say a few words about the outstanding state visit by His Majesty to the United States. We saw eloquent oratory, remarkable wit and genuine statesmanship from His Majesty. Presenting President Trump with the original brass bell—inscribed with his name before he was even born—from the second world war submarine HMS Trump and suggesting, if he needs us, to “give us a ring” was a masterstroke in diplomacy. His Majesty returned—very humbly, of course—having secured the lifting of trade barriers on Scotch whisky. Given the performance, I was rather worried His Majesty might come back with the 13 colonies as well.
It is a huge honour for me and my constituents in Bradford West for me to move the Loyal Address. This is the second time that my constituency has been honoured in this way. In 1959, the then Member for Bradford, West, Arthur Tiley, seconded the Loyal Address. When the Chief Whip called me about today, my first reaction, like many across this House when the Chief calls, was, “Uh-oh, what have I done?” However, that “Uh-oh” soon turned into, “Oh my days—no way!” with the biggest smile ever.
I clearly remember listening to the speeches by my hon. Friends the Members for Bootle (Peter Dowd) and for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green (Florence Eshalomi) the last time this occasion happened, and thinking, “Now, that is an honour.” Had I known God was listening, I would have asked to win the EuroMillions. In fact, had I known that not always voting with the Government also works, I might have done more of it. [Laughter.]
I am indeed humbled and honoured, primarily for being trusted by the people of Bradford West in placing their faith in me and sending me to this place, but also by being given this opportunity to be the first ever Muslim to propose the Loyal Address in this Chamber—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear”]—and, of course, seeing the meltdown of the far right online at a “Muslim takeover” and even an “act of domination”. In the light of this, I must assure them this is not a takeover. I must state it is, per convention, a joke—[Laughter.] But if seeing black and brown people on TV makes you feel sick, my speech is going to make you vomit. [Laughter.]
On a more serious note, over the last few months I have had the opportunity to tell my own story: the story of my life and the challenges I faced growing up. I often pinch myself while in this Chamber, questioning how a girl who lived the life that I lived could be given such an honour to represent her city in the mother of all Parliaments. It is because, despite the challenges we may face as a nation and the differences in approach that we present across the House, I know without a doubt that, as someone who comes from the ethnic, religious and socioeconomic background that I came from, and whose entire live crashed before her, I would never have been given such an honour in any other country than this one—my own country, our country. For me, there is no nation greater than ours. We are the greatest nation on earth, and I am a true patriot. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”]
Raised in abject poverty, living in a single room because we could not afford to heat the whole house and suffering tuberculosis as a result, I understand at first hand what this means. Therefore, I welcome the Government’s continued commitment to prioritise addressing the cost of living crisis. In doing so, we cannot ignore the instability across the world around us: the plight of the Palestinians, the war in Ukraine, the instability in the strait of Hormuz, and the growing global threats for which we must also be ready.
Living in a globalised world means that there is an ever-growing connection between the local, the national and the international. What happens out there reaches every home and doorstep across every constituency. The defence of our country is rightly also among these top agenda items. As a proud graduate of the armed forces parliamentary scheme—I recommend that all Members take part in and support it—I have nothing but admiration and thanks for those who have served and continue to serve to protect our tomorrow.
I also have the honour to serve as the Prime Minister’s trade envoy for Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a region of more than 660 million people, and a hugely important geopolitical and trade corridor. I welcome the continued commitment to strengthening our place across the world. Without international trade and growth in our economy, we cannot deliver the jobs, investment and support we need across our country. I will continue to play my part in securing trade and investment for the UK, and championing British business abroad with colleagues from across the House.
Closer to home, I had the honour to serve in Committee for the assisted dying Bill—something that went beyond party lines—where I had the opportunity to work with colleagues from across the House, including the hon. Member for East Wiltshire (Danny Kruger). While I did not eventually support the Bill, I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Spen Valley (Kim Leadbeater) for her work, commitment and passion.
Talking about going beyond party lines, I noted with interest, as I am sure the whole nation did too, the rather peculiar fascination of the previous Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the noble Lord Gove, with our Home Secretary. He actually confessed to browsing the internet for her images. Thankfully, knowing our Home Secretary as I do, I am confident that this is not the kind of cross-party mischief that she would reciprocate. [Laughter.]
But I do have a guilty pleasure of my own—and no, it is not a Tory. [Laughter.] Unfortunately for my calorie count, it is custard and cake. I blame Godfrey and Sharon in the Tea Room for their unwavering encouragement to indulge “sparingly”. [Laughter.]
I am proud to be the first woman elected to Parliament for the constituency of Bradford West, a constituency with a history of extraordinary women who broke every barrier that patriarchy put in front of them. The Brontë sisters changed English literature forever but had to use men’s names to publish their writing. The suffragettes of Bradford went to Holloway prison for the right to vote. The women of Manningham Mills walked out into the cold, changing our political landscape forever. Margaret McMillan pioneered free school meals—trialled in 1904 in the school I later attended, Green Lane primary—leading to the Education (Provision of Meals) Act 1906, which cemented free school meals in our history.
Barbara Castle, shaped by Bradford’s streets and schools, went on to write equal pay into law, and I am proud to serve alongside equally formidable women, such as my hon. Friends the Members for Bradford South (Judith Cummins) and for Shipley (Anna Dixon). There is something in the air in Bradford as a whole that produces women who will not be told. I promise this House that I have zero intention of breaking with that.
Today our country beams with pride because of the many great changes made by successive Labour Governments, but none of those changes would have been possible without the women who led the Manningham Mills strike. That strike led to the founding of the Independent Labour party, conceived and formed in Bradford West. It was in Bradford that a man named Keir first took the chair of the Labour movement, and despite 130 years, two world wars, and roughly 47 leadership elections, the party remains in the hands of a Keir. Prime Minister, nobody can say that you do not know how to fight on.
I could not make this speech without recognising David Hockney—a boy from a Bradford terrace who pushed his paintings around the city in a pram. David went on to become the world’s most famous living artist. He once said that if you look closely, Bradford is a city with magic. I do not know whether he was looking into the future and describing Bradford magician Dynamo, Zayn Malik’s magical music, or the leg-spinning, world cup-winning magic of our very own Adil Rashid, but Bradford is without question a place of wonders.
Bradford is also a place of culture. The Bradford literature festival is often referred to as the jewel in the crown; it is now one of the largest literature festivals in the UK, and the largest of its kind throughout Europe, pairing excellence with access for those who would otherwise be excluded from culture. In 2025, Bradford was proud to be named UK City of Culture, home to a rich, diverse population, built on the back of the historic title of the wool capital of the world.
In the 1850s, German-Jewish merchants came to Bradford and built the magnificent warehouses of what we now call Little Germany, helping to make Bradford a global trading city and the proud home of the oldest synagogue in the north. It is a synagogue that the Muslim community recently stepped in to save when the roof was about to cave in, illustrating the relationship between the Muslim and Jewish communities in Bradford. A century after the German-Jewish merchants, men from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, India, and Pakistan arrived in the 1950s and 60s, and worked tireless nightshifts to keep the mills running, ensuring Britain’s economy continued to flourish after the second world war. Each generation of newcomers did not just come to Bradford—they built Bradford.
Chicken tikka masala might be the UK’s national dish, but I must inform the House that they have not had a curry until they have had a Bradford curry. Whether it is the legendary family naans on trees invented by the late king of curries Shabbir Hussain, the founder of Akbar’s, or the subcontinent flavours of Aaghra, Mumtaz, Jinnah, MyLahore, or any one of hundreds of restaurants across the city, Bradford does curry like nowhere else. The curries are that good they even defy the Mounjaro jab. A note to the Health Secretary: he may have to develop a stronger solution.
I recommend Bradford’s curry to all Members of the House. Now that Bradford has a few Reform councillors, perhaps the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage), who I see is not in his place, could pay them a visit and treat them to a good curry, followed by a pint brewed in Bradford. In fact, given the size of the gift he received that we are all now aware of, he could probably take half of Bradford out and still be left with plenty of change.
Bradford is the youngest city in the United Kingdom. It has been named the most entrepreneurial, too; Morrisons grew from a market stall in our city to a household name. Bradford has no poverty of aspiration, talent or ambition, but decades of poverty of infrastructure have left us behind.
Bradford is, however, turning a corner, with £270 million in public sector investment building private sector confidence, with a combined pipeline now reaching £2.3 billion. I am grateful for our Government’s support, which includes: a new hospital in Airedale; a £2 billion integrated settlement for West Yorkshire, giving our Labour Mayor, Tracy Brabin, the power and flexibility to invest in local jobs, new homes and improving skills; a Bradford city station; and £2.1 billion investment in transport for the city region, enabling West Yorkshire to deliver mass transit, better buses and repair our roads and potholes. All that is pumping confidence into a city ready for investors to benefit from its untapped potential. Northern Powerhouse Rail is not a “nice to have”, but the difference between Bradford’s young people building their futures at home and building them somewhere else.
I give thanks to all the House staff across the estate who ensure that Parliament can play the role it does. They are hugely deserving of our appreciation for everything they do. Outside of this place, I also thank the security services and our police forces, who keep us safe with the ever-increasing risks and threats to our democracy. Given the magnitude of this moment, I also emphasise the huge weight and burden of responsibility on our shoulders. When we speak in this Chamber, it carries meaning and impact; it impacts the boy who takes off his kippah and the girl who removes her hijab, fearing for their safety because their race and religion have become a political football. An attack on anyone, or anyone’s place of worship—a synagogue, a mosque, a church, a temple, a gurdwara or any kind of religious institution—is an attack on our British way of life. We must strengthen our communities against the rising tide of nationalism and populism. In an ever more dangerous world, and an ever more toxic online world, society needs unity, calmness and leadership more than ever to make our country the best it can be. The burden of responsibility falls on all our shoulders, and it has never been greater.
It is also convention to part with words of wisdom for those who are slightly newer to this place. With that in mind, I simply say this: nurture the pragmatism of being an elected representative of the people who have put their trust in you and sent you here, but never forget the passion of an activist. Keep that fire burning—it is that passion that will sustain you and carry you through, because sometimes it gets difficult here.
A King’s Speech is meant to be a fresh start—Parliament’s version of clearing the kitchen table, making room for the work ahead, gathering the family round and reminding ourselves what the country has sent us here to do. As hon. Members may know, I believe in a full table. In my home, hospitality matters. You make space, listen and serve people properly. But good hospitality and politics itself is about more than who speaks first or loudest. It is about noticing the quiet ones, those who may be less organised or not as powerful but who are none the less equally, if not more, important—the voiceless whose voices we need to become.
For someone like me, who spent her formative years fighting a campaign to release her mother from prison and who did not have a formal education beyond the age of 12, spelling, grammar and parliamentary language do not come naturally. Forced into a marriage at 15, forced to live a life with hearing aids, lugging around a black bin liner of belongings as a homeless teenager, left all alone as a guardian to a younger brother and sister without a shoulder of support or stability in life, attempting suicide as I could not see a way out from my despair, yet here I stand—[Hon. Members: “Hear, hear.”] Here I stand with the world’s eyes watching the state opening of Parliament on this momentous occasion, having been given the privilege of this moment. If this was not my story, I would believe it to be fiction. But the truth is that there can be light at the end of the tunnel. As I believe, and as my life personifies, after hardship comes ease.
When I stood in this Chamber for the first time, I pinched myself—and I still do—that someone like me can end up here representing the city they love in the mother of all Parliaments. Bradford and my country gave me everything. I intend to spend every day in this House returning the favour. It is the honour of my life to move the Loyal Address on behalf of the people of Bradford West. I commend the motion to the House.
Hon. Members
Middle East
Naz Shah Excerpts(3 months, 1 week ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Prime Minister
The hon. Lady raises an important point. We are working at pace to deal with the drones and are working with our Ukrainian colleagues, who have been facing this for four years. We have been working with them on that, and we are working with them to help to protect allies who are under attack in the region.
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
Overnight, my constituents have lost the benefit—promised to them only last week—of savings on energy prices through the attacks on refineries across Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Oil prices have soared, and gas prices in Europe have surged by upwards of 52% in the last few hours. The longer this carries on, it risks escalation across the middle east. Closer to home, it impacts on the day-to-day lives of the British people through increased energy costs. What assessment have the Government made of the risk of energy prices to British households, and what efforts is the Prime Minister making to ensure that we can de-escalate sooner rather than later?
The Prime Minister
My hon. Friend is right to highlight the impact on the day-to-day lives of our constituents. We are carefully monitoring that, as she would expect, and we are doing all that we can with our allies to de-escalate the situation.
Middle East
Naz Shah Excerpts(7 months, 4 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Prime Minister
I absolutely agree with the hon. Member. There can be no way that Hamas can play any role in a Palestinian state. That is the absolute red line of all those that recognised Palestine earlier this year, and the red line of the New York declaration. It is a really important and fundamental red line that has to be kept to—for all the reasons that she has set out and that I think everybody across this House understands.
On the security and safety of Jews in this country, of course we must step up. That needs to be done in a number of ways, including through practical support and financial support. Sad though it is to say that we need to put even more security around our synagogues and schools, so that children can go safely to school in this country, we must do it. The Government have already been working on that for some considerable time. I took the time, on the day after the Manchester attack, to talk to the Community Security Trust and other leaders about what more we can do in that regard. I am more than happy to work across the House on this; we owe it to our Jewish community that we are seen to be working together on these important measures, and I thank the hon. Member for her support.
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
May I first associate myself with the comments of the Prime Minister regarding the heinous attack in Manchester and on Peacehaven mosque? An attack on any place of worship is an attack on our democracy and way of life.
I thank the Prime Minister, his team—in particular, his Ministers—and our National Security Adviser for all their efforts and for the recognition of Palestine. As was stated earlier, it is long overdue and, historically, puts right what we should have done a long time ago. That has no doubt contributed to where we are today, so I once again want to say a huge thank you.
Over 92% of homes in Gaza have been erased, with more than 730,000 people displaced, including 520,000 children, could the Prime Minister outline in detail what more is being done to rebuild Gaza in addition to aid and to our conversations?
Oral Answers to Questions
Naz Shah Excerpts(2 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Prime Minister
I thank my hon. Friend for his role in championing the rail industry in the UK. As he rightly said, the Department for Transport and the Secretary of State have been actively engaged with companies to ensure that we have a robust supply chain. As my hon. Friend knows, we are investing record amounts in rail, particularly in the north, and we are pleased to see that that is being delivered.
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
The Prime Minister is no doubt aware of the collapse of SSB Law, and many constituents, including hundreds in my constituency, have been affected and have bills of up to hundreds of thousands. One constituent had to sell his wedding gifts, and his father had a heart attack with the stress. People are having to raid their pension pots; they are getting bills, and bailiffs are knocking on the door. Will the Prime Minister meet me and my constituents’ representatives on the collapse of SSB Law, and make sure that the Government respond to this injustice that has happened to people across the country?
Iran-Israel Update
Naz Shah Excerpts(2 years, 1 month ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Prime Minister
The Foreign Secretary recently spoke to his counterpart on exactly that topic. More broadly, we are discussing with our G7 partners and allies what further measures we can take to deal with the threat, economically, that Iran poses.
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
Much has been said by the Prime Minister and other Conservative Members about the normalisation process between Saudi Arabia and Israel. On 9 January, the Saudi ambassador to the United Kingdom told Radio 4 that that normalisation process was subject to a two-state solution and a fully recognised Palestine.
Having put that on the record, I remind the Prime Minister that support for any nation is not like the unconditional support that he has for his football team. When Iran acts like a rogue state in Syria, we rightly call it out and, when Israel taunts Iran by bombing its consulate building, knowing full well that Iran will respond and risking further escalation, we must call it out as well. What is the Prime Minister doing in his efforts to ensure that the two-state solution and the recognition of Palestine are being actively pursued?
The Prime Minister
I refer the hon. Lady to my statement, in which I was clear about my commitment to a two-state solution and our diplomatic efforts to help to bring that about.
Defending the UK and Allies
Naz Shah Excerpts(2 years, 4 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Prime Minister
The hon. Lady is absolutely right about the necessity of doing that. It was a feature of our conversations last week, but we also facilitated a visit by some of our leading defence companies to Ukraine at the end of last year to further the co-operation between our two countries. There is a path forward to see how we can build that—to build the defence industrial base in Ukraine to help it to defend itself in future.
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
I associate myself with all the comments made by the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition on the commitment to root out antisemitism. It is unacceptable for British Jews to be held responsible for the actions of Israel as a Government, as is the idea that they can have any effect on the Israeli Prime Minister or his Cabinet. In the same vein, given the rise of Islamophobia, it has been a new low and a painful blow today for the Prime Minister to say to a British Muslim in this House, my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry South (Zarah Sultana), that she should tell Hamas and the Houthis to stop doing what they are doing. That is an Islamophobic trope. Maybe the Prime Minister will reflect, withdraw and take the opportunity to show leadership and apologise. Coming back to the question, the Government—
Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Nigel Evans)
Order. I think the hon. Lady has asked a question.
Israel and Gaza
Naz Shah Excerpts(2 years, 7 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
The Prime Minister
As we heard previously, there are complexities with ensuring the safe opening of the Rafah crossing. We are having conversations with the Israelis, the Egyptians and other partners to see how best we can provide humanitarian assistance to the region, not least through the deployment of our Royal Navy assets, which will arrive over the course of the coming week, and the increase in aid funding, which we announced today, that will provide support to people in the region.
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
The use of white phosphorus in densely populated areas against civilians is illegal. Both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have reported the use of white phosphorous against civilians in Gaza. Has the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office received confirmation of those reports? If such weapons have been used against civilian populations in Gaza, what will the Prime Minister’s response be?
The Prime Minister
Of course, we keep everything under review, but I am not going to comment or speculate on reports where we do not have full access to information or are unable to verify facts.
Oral Answers to Questions
Naz Shah Excerpts(2 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Watch Debate Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
The Prime Minister
Actually, rough sleeping levels were about a third lower in 2022 compared with the peak in 2017. Since our landmark Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 came into force, more than 600,00 households have successfully had their homelessness prevented or relieved, and we are investing £2 billion over the next three years to continue to tackle homelessness and rough sleeping.
Tributes to Her Late Majesty the Queen
Naz Shah Excerpts(3 years, 9 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
So many of us are trying to find the words to describe the reign of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth. Many have eloquently, philosophically, emotionally and even poetically alluded to her legacy and reign. Despite all the great words that have been and will be said, we all fall short, not because of the lack of words or of heartfelt emotion on this momentous occasion, but because even our greatest words fall short when it comes to doing justice to the life, legacy and reign of an extraordinary monarch.
We look around the world and we realise that these are sombre moments not just for the people of Britain or the Commonwealth, but for the entire world. Indeed, the elegant words of President Macron of France,
“ To you, she was your Queen. To us, she was the Queen.”
highlight how she was a worldly figure who existed beyond the nations and realm, in the hearts of people across the world. She was a unifying monarch, who brought people together in a way that was unique to her. That is why, when we look across our nation at the sadness and grief that people and communities are feeling, we see that people of all races, of all religions and of all communities are united in the devotion and heartfelt emotion they are showing at the passing of their Queen.
This unified attachment to Her Majesty did not just appear out of nowhere, but was directly a symbol she expressed throughout her reign. In 1952, in her first Christmas broadcast, at a time when inclusion and diversity were very much unseen in society, she addressed the nations and asked that people, whatever their religion, pray for her and her reign. We heard the same message of inclusivity and diversity from our new monarch, King Charles III.
In the same way, despite Her Majesty keeping her views close to her heart, her deep-felt connection to the Commonwealth and to justice was obvious. By summer 1986, the Queen’s apparent objection to the refusal by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to place sanctions on apartheid South Africa was widely known. It is no wonder that her favourite African leader was Nelson Mandela, with whom she held a deep friendship until he sadly passed.
On a more local front, the Queen made several visits and was welcomed by the people of Bradford throughout her 70-year reign. Eighteen months after her coronation, on her nationwide tour, she visited Bradford, marking the city’s first royal visit since 1942. She visited Bradford Park Avenue during this trip and was sung to by 30,000 schoolchildren. On behalf of all my constituents, I hope I can express their thoughts, feelings and condolences to the royal family at this difficult time.
As one era comes to an end, we pray for the next. As a woman of faith, I admired Her Majesty as she was a person of deep faith and belief. I end with the words of a great Muslim poet, Rumi:
“You are not a drop in the ocean; you are an entire ocean in a drop”.
Her Majesty was an ocean in her kindness, selflessness and humour, and she made herself a drop through her humbleness, sense of duty and service to her people. God save our King.
Confidence in Her Majesty’s Government
Naz Shah Excerpts(3 years, 10 months ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Naz Shah (Bradford West) (Lab)
This place is always interesting, but it has been particularly interesting to listen to all the Conservative Members standing up, time and again, to suggest they will support this motion. They do not even need to listen to us; they need only tune in to the next leadership debate to hear their own candidates talk about the litany of abysmal failures overseen by this Government over the past 12 years. We will not let the Conservative leadership candidates wipe the slate clean after 12 years of Conservative rule. They walked through the Lobby to vote for 15 tax rises, against hungry children getting free school meals and against the windfall tax on the multibillion-pound profits of oil companies, before they adopted Labour’s policy and tried to give it a new name.
There is loads I could mention. People forget that all the leadership candidates supported the Prime Minister through partygate, the Owen Paterson crisis and the dodgy covid contracts—the list is longer than my arm. The failures of this Conservative Government led to record NHS waiting lists and record delays in A&E, delays at the Passport Office, delays in our courts, delays in prosecuting rapists and murderers, delays in issuing driving licences and delays at our airports. There is record neglect in the cities of the north of England such as Bradford, where we have had years of austerity, years of underfunding and years of false promises, including on Northern Powerhouse Rail, none of which have come to fruition.
This Government have completely wrecked this country’s industries—that is their record. We have a skills crisis in this country. There is a crisis with our criminal barristers that is leading to further delays in our courts, a crisis in our care sector, a crisis with HGV drivers, a crisis with train drivers, a crisis with airport workers, a crisis with school teachers and a crisis looming in the civil service. Do Conservative Members really want to stand by this record?
I do not know where to begin on the record of successive Conservative Governments on engagement with Muslim communities. When I saw the front page of the Daily Mail last night and heard about the so-called “dodgy judgment” of the Minister for Trade Policy, the right hon. Member for Portsmouth North (Penny Mordaunt), in meeting a “controversial” Muslim group, I did not expect the meeting to be with a mainstream Muslim organisation that Members on both sides of the House meet on a regular basis.
The Muslim Council of Britain is a mainstream Muslim organisation backed by mainstream British Muslim mosques, organisations and institutions. Yesterday, No. 10’s long-held secret boycott of a mainstream Muslim group was finally admitted on the front page of a tabloid newspaper. This Government’s record is that the Prime Minister’s comments led to a 375% increase in attacks on Muslim women. Previous Conservative Governments refused to form a working definition of Islamophobia, and then they refused to adopt the definition used by the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims. They then promised to make a definition of their own, before appointing and then unappointing their own adviser. Almost a decade later, hate crime against Muslims is rising, and what do we have from this Government? Absolutely nothing but a mainstream Muslim organisation boycotted by No. 10.
I am sorry to tell this Conservative Government that the days are gone when they could prop up Muslim organisations with one or two members, funded and supported for the purposes of the Government’s policy agenda. Those days are over. Mainstream British Muslims sit in Parliament and represent our nations in sport. We are the doctors and nurses in our hospitals, and we are the teachers who teach our children and future leaders. We are equally British and must equally be heard. The record of this Government is nothing to be celebrated, and those who vote for this confidence motion are equally responsible because they are endorsing the Government’s actions.