We do support Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital, says David Miliband

We do support Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders
with Jerusalem as its capital, says David Miliband

Dr. Mozammel Haque

“We do support Palestinian state on pre-1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital, with the final settlement of refugees; we also say that Palestine will exist and recognise and celebrate the country of Israel next door to it within secure borders as well,” said the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, MP, as a guest speaker and keynote speaker at the annual function of the Muslim Friends for Labour, at the Kensington Town Hall, on 19th of January 2010 and added, “Because the truth is that we will not find justice for one ethnic group or one religious group unless we recognise the co-existence; the only basis for real existence. We should be the people for willing to stand up against injustice wherever it exists but also celebrate those who are campaigning against injustice wherever that exists as well.”

Earlier, while delivering the opening speech, the pioneer of the Muslim parliamentarians in the Labour Party, Mohammad Sarwar, requested the audience to stand up to observe one minute of silence to pay respect to the victims of earthquake in Haiti. After the silence, MP Sarwar, as a chair of the Muslim Friends of Labour, requested his fellow parliamentarians, Minister Sadiq Khan, Minister Shahid Malik, Khaled Mahmood MP, and Lord Ahmed, to join him at the stage while he would be speaking. All these parliamentarians wanted to listen the prospective future parliamentarians.

Parliamentarian Mohammed Sarwar
As chair of Muslim Friends of Labour, Mohammed Sarwar felt proud and excited at the function. “Excited because as we celebrate the contribution of the Muslims in this Labour Party tonight; we also look forward to the future of this relationship. All I can remember as a young man born in Faisalabad Pakistan moving to this country to join my fiancé, that time, my wife Parveen to UK and at that time I had no intention, whatsoever, to entering politics. All I wanted to do was to create a better life for myself and my family. So you can imagine how much tremendous honour it was for me to be elected as Britain’s first Muslim Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom,” said Mr. Sarwar.

Parliamentarian Sarwar also felt proud because now there are so many talented parliamentarians in the country. “Extremely proud to have so many other talented parliamentarians around me. Lord Ahmed, I am sure all of you know, the first Muslim Member of the House of Lords, who has been a great campaigner for peace and human rights in Palestine and Kashmir; in fact, he has just returned yesterday of having witness first hand suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza. He does a tremendous job,” Sarwar added.

Mr. Sarwar also mentioned “Our rising star, Rt. Hon. Sadiq Khan MP, is the first Muslim Privy Counsellor and the first Muslim to sit in the Cabinet. We are proud of that. Shahid Malik, as you know, first he was International Development Minister, Justice Minister, then Home Office Minister and now Community Minister and he was the first Muslim to be member of the National Executive Committee of the Labour Party. And most importantly my younger brother Khaled Mahmood MP, who has taken the lead on tackling terrorism and who despite his ill-health is with us tonight.” He also recognised the fantastic job of hundreds of Labour Councillors, Mayors, deputy Mayors, throughout the country.

Parliamentarian Sarwar also introduced the five new prospective Parliamentary candidates (PPCs). “Today’s event is the future. I am delighted to introduce five of our new PPCs joining us this evening. Four of them are talented British Muslim women and we will be hearing from them all very shortly,” said Sarwar and added, “In my opinion it is the most important general elections of our time. We face a clear choice between two features: we can come together and fight for the values and principles we believe in and build upon the achievements we have made or we can take Britain backward if Tories come to power.”

Parliamentarian Sarwar also mentioned, “I am not for one minute going to pretend that Labour Party has got everything right but we have achieved some great developments for the Muslims here in Britain and abroad. We have protected Muslim values and protected their rights in the society. No political party in the United Kingdom or across Europe has fought harder against racism, fascism and discrimination than our Labour Party. I can say from my heart.”

Two-state solution
As regards Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Sarwar said, “The Labour Party is the first mainstream political party to have a manifesto commitment to a Two-State solution in the Israel-Palestinian conflict. This policy has been reaffirmed by our current Foreign Secretary David Miliband who has taken that we should believe that this should be based on pre-1967 borders and with Jerusalem as its capital. However, we will work hard with our international partners to implement this policy and turn it into a reality. And I have no doubt in my mind that God willing, we will have an independent Palestinian state and we will have Palestinian ambassador in the United Kingdom in London.”

“I can assure you, brothers and sisters, we will continuously campaign vigorously for the creation of an independent Palestinian State based on pre-1967 borders,” emphasized Sarwar and added, “I generally believe with your continued support and with hard work and firm determination we can win the historic four-time victory for the Labour government.”

After his opening speech, the five aspiring Parliamentary candidates came to address from the stage.

Yasmin Qureshi
“Over the years there may be a time when we may disagree with perhaps on certain issues that our party has pursued but there are many many issues that we agree on and in particular in economic, social welfare and the form of justices which we carried out which no one can disagree,” said Yasmin Qureshi, representing as a Labour candidate from Bolton Southeast and thanked the people from Bolton Southeast for selecting her as a Labour candidate.

She also thanked Sarwar sahib and Lord Nazir. Mentioning about Lord Nazir, Yasmin mentioned, “certainly one of the persons who pursued me to be one of the candidates with the Labour Party for long time. He has always been there as somebody I can turn for advice and assistance. So I really like to thank him.”

“Please continue to give your support; we need your support particularly now there is a general election coming and the choice is very starchy,” she said.

Roshenara Ali
“I know that today is the very precious occasion for all of us, parliamentary candidates and for parliamentarians within the Muslim community because it has been a very great struggle I know too well having grown up in the midst of east end of London, the heart of the British Muslim Bangladeshi community. The struggle and the hard work and the determination that have given someone like me and many others the opportunity to hope for a task to stand as a woman in Parliament after the next general election,” said Roshenara Ali, Labour Parliamentary candidate for Bethnal Green and Bow in east end of London. .

She was selected in 2007. “That has been a long selection, a contest if you like; in an open shortlist in Bethnal Green and Bow where part of membership is Bangladeshi Muslim background. Nobody told them to vote for a woman; they did it out of choice because they felt it is the right things to do,” said Roshenara and added, “I want to remind media and everybody in this room that within our own community there is a great sense of optimism over the need of representation in politics, woman and man of Muslim background.”

After thanking all “for the constant encouragement and support,” Roshenara said, “Why we are doing this; we know more than ever before just how important for us it is to be the centre of thing, in the mainstream as the British Muslim community and to pave the way for new generation to enter politics and public life. That will change the face of Britain and that is how to make sure the interest of the whole community including the Muslim community as represented in British politics. That is our concern, that is at the heart of the Government and that is national politics.”

Maryam Khan
“I am proud of being British Pakistani. The current situation in Pakistan shows that it needs persistent friends and supporters and I intend insha Allah to be one of those; neither I ignore the plight of Kashmiri and Palestinian people either and I will always support their struggle for freedom,” said sister Maryam Khan, a prospective Parliamentary candidate for Bury north.

Maryam also said, “I would continue to campaign as a committed member of Labour Party for social justice, continuing to believe in combating poverty, prejudice and inequality.”

Shabana Mahmood
Shabana Mahmood first took a minute to reflect on the four prospective parliamentary candidates who are women. Shabana said, “I am so pleased that all the Muslim men on the campaign trail have been nothing but welcoming and wanting to hear what I have to offer, challenging me and asking me the questions while I am on the campaign.”

Shabana also said, “I am delighted that four of us are women. It is really important because so many Muslim men were instrumental in my own selection followed by non-Muslim men and women. Same for Roshanara, Yasmin and for Maryam. The fact that four of us are women it is incredibly a very powerful thing about Muslim community in this country. Things are changing every single day.”

Shabana concluded by saying, “The Labour party is a great movement for change. It always has been and it always will be. Because I know it delivers truly amazing international institutions such as National Health Service which is not only competent socialist values, labour values and, might be, Muslim values too. Whatever the past issues may have with the party, absolutely it is the best movement for change that we have.”

Anas Sarwar
Another parliamentarian candidate, Anas Sarwar, a parliamentary candidate from his own constituency in Glasgow Central, where he was born and brought up and thanked those who have “made so many contributions to this country and there has been such great inspiration and role models to me and my generations.”

“Most of all, you are giving the young people the confident, the confidence to stand and be confident to be as both Muslims and British. I hope with your support we can continue your hard work and make a generation that follows us as far we are all of you,” said Anas.

Anas also said, “We must recognise the challenges that we have to face. We must recognise the inequalities in health, education and housing at home. We have still too many living in poverty, living in injustice and living in conflict abroad.”

Speaking about conflict abroad, Anas wanted to raise one issue “that have been passionate from my very young age, the Palestinian conflict which has been mentioned before,” said Anas and added, “I visited Palestine for the first time when I was just 12 years old, the issue is still with me ever since. The situation, I can show you, only got worse; 70% of the population unemployed; 80% of the population eating purely on UN Food programme and two-thirds of the essential medicines under the World Health organisations unable to gather. That is simply unacceptable in our 21st century world.”

“This issue is never religion,” said Anas and maintained, “We must double our efforts and show by giving the people of Gaza and Palestine the freedom and the democracy that they deserve and also peace and freedom for both sides. I am sure that I can speak for the rest of our candidates, my fellow parliamentarians that we will continue our fight until we do achieve peace and justice not only in Kashmir but in Palestine as well.”

Anas concluded his speech by saying about the relationship between the Labour Party and the Muslim community. “We had good times and bad times; we had times we agree and times we disagree. But what keeps us together, what unites us is our beliefs, values and shared principles, what we call, justice and our commitment to eradicate poverty both at home and abroad. And together, brothers and sisters, we can face challenges head on and together we can deliver equality and justice for all,” concluded Anas.

Guest Speaker and Keynote Speaker
Rt.Hon. David Miliband, Foreign Secretary
“There has been going on a big change in our society and that change is represented by many of the people in this room,” said British Foreign Secretary, David Miliband and mentioned, “Now I feel of coming of age in the Muslim community of Britain where I see five new candidates have been selected and they are also optimistic about the future of Britain and the future of the Labour Party; because they represent a new wave of change.”

“There is a time of binding together; there is a time of mutual support and then there is a time of branching out to the wider community to represent people, not just of your own religion or of your own ethnic groups, but represent the whole community,” said Miliband and expressed his “great confidence that the five new candidates that we selected, that you selected, was not the great representatives of Britain’s Muslim communities; they will be great representatives of the Labour Party but they will be great representatives of every single person in their communities in their constituencies.”

“And the reason for that they have been selected not for the colour of the skin, not for the religion that they worship, they are being selected for content of their character, of their ethics, their beliefs and their commitments for fair and just society. And that is the basis on which we achieve change. Because we always remember whatever our religion, whatever our race that unite us than divide us and the message that go out of the five new candidates is that the Labour party is determined to represent every race, every religion and every ethnicity,” said Foreign Secretary.

The British Foreign Secretary emphasized on three things tonight. First, he said, “This coming of age of the Muslim community of Britain is a tribute to you and it is a tribute to those people who are pioneers in politics, business, in arts, in sports, in diplomacy.” Miliband also mentioned about the first British Bangladeshi High Commissioner who recently completed his tenure as High Commissioner in Bangladesh.

“It is a tribute to you but it also says something about our country: That this is increasingly a country which is an open society; increasingly a country where people get on by their put in; increasingly a country that is more respectful and tolerant of the diversity and differences. So this meeting is an opportunity to celebrate what is great about our country as well as the great about our party,” mentioned Miliband.

The second thing that the Foreign Secretary said was his role as Foreign Secretary. “Britain is a mirror to the world,” said Miliband and mentioned that one of the great challenges is “to bring people together to coalition for change. And I think if we look for the future issues of the world, whether economic challenges, whether climate change, whether national and international security they depend on the coalition of the countries of the Muslim majority countries and countries which are not.”

“How do we build that coalition?” asked the question and immediately said, “First of all, we build that coalition by recognising and respecting the differences between Muslim majority countries; the diversity within the Muslim world is striking as the similarities within. Secondly, we have to recognise that there are big processes of reform going on in the Muslim world.”

National Prevent Conference in Birmingham

National Prevent Conference in Birmingham

Dr. Mozammel Haque

The National Prevent Conference was held at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham on Tuesday, the 8th of December, 2009. Speaking to an audience of over 1000 frontline Prevent workers at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham, Communities Secretary John Denham reaffirmed the importance of the Government supported Prevent programme and set out measures to further improve its effectiveness. “Its importance in keeping our country free from terrorism. And its importance in ensuring that our own people – young people in particular – are not drawn into support for or involvement in violent extremism,” said Communities Secretary.

Communities Secretary wanted to address “some of the criticisms, controversies and lack of clarity which have been made of Prevent and which have unnecessarily limited effectiveness. We have to deal with this criticism effectively, honestly and openly, if we want Prevent itself to be fully effective.”

“It has been criticized within some parts of Muslim communities. Criticized by parts of the civil liberties lobby. Criticised by those who say it is supporting the very forces that are part of the problem. Criticised both by those who say it is too soft, and by those who say it is too hard. Of course, criticism itself is never a reason to do something,” said Mr. Denham, M.P.

Mr. Denham said that while Al Qa’ida inspired terrorism is a serious problem which needs to be tackled it must never been seen as the defining issue for British Muslims; or for the Government’s relationship with Muslim communities nationally or locally.

Mr. Denham said, “I know, and you know, that the typical Muslim family – like families across the country – is much more concerned about jobs, housing and education than they are about violent extremism. And for the vast majority of Muslims, as for members of other faiths, their faith is a source of comfort, inspiration and strong values - not a call to violence.”

Mr. Denham made it clear that Prevent cannot work as a Government programme imposed on Muslim communities - they need to feel ownership of the community based parts of Prevent and work as full partners in it.

“We share pride in the progress which has been made in areas like education where British Bangladeshi and British Pakistani pupils have made huge strides. Participation in higher education for Bangladeshi and Pakistani students is higher than the average,” mentioned Communities Secretary and added, “We’re united with the community in standing up to racism and discrimination, with new laws to tackle racial and religious hatred, and are introducing new protection for freedom of religion in the Equalities Bill. And we enabled London to have five fully Sharia compliant banks and shaira compliant financial instruments”.

Welcoming and celebrating the contribution that Muslims make to this society – whether in business or public services, in education or charities, in sport or the arts, Communities Secretary said, “We are ensuring that Muslim voices are heard in Government through groups like the National Muslim Women’s Advisory Group and the Young Muslims Advisory Group. Sadiq Khan has become the first Asian and first Muslim to attend Cabinet. And Mohammad Sarwar is the first Muslim to chair a Select Committee.”

“We work with the community on issues of common concern: continuing low employment rates, particularly among women; the numbers of Pakistani or Bangladeshi children who grow up in poverty and poor housing; and on issues of mutual interest like international development and aid, climate change and poverty around the world.,” said Mr. Denham.

The aim of Prevent is simple. It is to ensure that our fellow citizens do not commit acts of terrorism against Britain or British people. And that we all abide by and respect British counter terrorism laws.

Mr. Denham also made it clear that Prevent has two tasks: “first is to ensure Muslim communities have the resilience to tackle the small minority who would create the space for violent extremism; and are able to not only oppose but actively challenge those who seek to legitimise violence here. This does not mean we believe that Muslim communities are ‘the problem’ or that tolerance or acceptance of violent extremism is widespread. Far from it,” said the Communities Secretary.

“Prevent is not about changing anyone’s views on the international issues and conflicts which concern British Muslims, British Jews and British citizens of all backgrounds. It is not the job of Prevent to demand that everyone agrees with or takes a particular view on the Government’s foreign policy,” explained Mr. Denham and said, “However, Prevent unequivocally says there is no legitimate reason, no matter how passionately you feel, to use concerns about any international issues to justify terrorist activity here. And it challenges directly the small minority who believe that conflict elsewhere justifies violence here.”

“Second, Prevent should not and must not stigmatise or demonise Muslim communities.
It is important that local Muslim communities do not feel that are being singled out if other forms of extremism are a threat in the area,” said the Communities Secretary. .

But Mr. Denham made it clear that “The threat from Al Qa’ida inspired terrorism remains the greatest threat – in terms of number of plots and the ambitions for death and destruction that are expressed. But Government and our whole society must oppose extremism wherever it exists.”

Mr. Denham also mentioned, “We are already working across Government to tackle hate crime, including that from far-right extremism. We are supporting areas where we know far-right organisations are mobilising. Through the Home Office led ‘Channel’ programme and the new Connecting Communities programme, we are tackling head on the issues – real and perceived – which if left neglected can prove fertile territory for extremism and those who would divide our communities.”.

Communities Secretary also made it clear: “any area facing far right or racist extremist problems which divide communities should have a strategy for addressing those problems. And those areas should be resourced for that work.”

“Perhaps the most important concern, and one which has received a lot of recent publicity, is so-called information gathering. The fear that by joining a Prevent activity, the organisers or the participants are opening themselves up to covert surveillance, intelligence gathering and the collection of files on the Muslim communities,” mentioned Communities Secretary.

Speaking at the International Conference Centre in Birmingham, Mr Denham said: “The success of Prevent depends on its effectiveness through public support and consent. To be more even effective it is important that we are as open, transparent and clear about the aims and work of Prevent to support local authorities in making what can be very sensitive judgements and to make sure that those whose support we need most have the trust and confidence they need to be partners in this work. “

“In many ways, community cohesion - building a strong society with shared values and a strong sense of shared identity - is a broader and more ambitious aim involving every part of every community equally, not just Muslim communities.

“Prevent needs to remain focussed on preventing crime. There are aspects of Prevent that would never be included in a cohesion strategy. But there will clearly be circumstances, for example, involving young people in building stronger communities and establishing their rights as British citizens, where well designed projects can deliver.”

As well as being clear that Prevent is a crime prevention programme that needs to be more transparent, other measures Mr Denham announced at the conference include:

encouraging local authorities to move away from using labels and language which are creating unnecessary obstacles to participation by Muslim communities; and
Providing more support for frontline Prevent workers through Government offices, direct- support when needed and sharing best practice and resources from within Muslim communities to tackle theological and ideological issues.

He stressed that Prevent will remain focussed on the particular challenge of Al- Qaida inspired violence, but local authorities and the police should use the new funding announced today, as well as the Connecting Communities programme and mainstream resources to ensure other forms of extremism are addressed.

Mr Denham acknowledged that the development of local Prevent strategies, aiming to ensure fellow citizens do not commit acts of violence against Britain or British people overseas and abide by British anti-terrorist laws, are complex and involve making difficult judgements about the activities and organisations to be supported. He stressed that Prevent strategies must be designed and delivered locally but he promised more support and guidance over the coming year.

Communities Minister Shahid Malik said, “After visiting projects around the country, the Communities Secretary and I have been engaged in open and honest dialogue. Where criticism has been constructive, we’ve been willing to listen as this is key to improving the effectiveness of Prevent. Communities must have ownership, including Muslims, as equal partners in standing up to all forms of extremism.”

Mr. Denham said, “I want to be very clear. We must have complete openness and transparency. There should not be any information gathering or information sharing about the community aspects of Prevent work which cannot be openly acknowledged with all members of the partnership and the wider community. It is important to have robust information sharing processes which help to prevent criminal activity by vulnerable individuals.”

Before the Conference, the Communities Secretary John Denham and Communities Minister Shahid Malik made a press briefing at the Communities and Local Government office on Monday, the 7th of December, 2009, where the Communities Secretary briefed the Muslim Press about the Prevent Programme.

Lord Nazir Ahmed freed from Jail
not responsible for the death of other driver

Dr. Mozammel Haque

Labour Peer, Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, the first Muslim Peer, was released on Thursday, the 12th of March, 2009 by the Court of Appeal. The lady Justice Hallett in her judgement at the Court of Appeal said Lord Nazir Ahmed was neither legally or morally responsible for the death of Slovakian Martyn Gombar.

Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham, 51, was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment and disqualified from driving for 12 months at the Sheffield Crown Court on 25 February 2009 for sending and receiving text messages while driving on the M1. On Christmas Day 2007, his Jaguar ploughed into a stationary car on the M1 motorway, five miles from his home in Rotherham, south Yorkshire. The driver of the stationary car, 28-year-old Slovakian Martyn Gombar, who had been drinking, was killed in the collision.

Lord Nazir Ahmed’s solicitors spoke of their respect for the court’s decision but launched an immediate appeal against the sentence. Lord Nazir Ahmed Support Campaign team launched the campaign. The right to appeal against the sentence was granted. The Court of Appeal, on Thursday, the 12th of March, 2009, quashed Lord Nazir Ahmed’s prison sentence imposed in the Crown court and he is now back at his office at the House of Lords, working hard once again. The Lady Justice Hallett not only quashed the sentence but the six-point penalty was also seen as over and that was reduced.

Verdict of the Court of Appeal: Lord Ahmed
not responsible for the death of other driver

I am going to run into the details the Ladyship said. I want to summarize what the Lady Justice Hallett said at the Court of Appeal. This is directed to Lord Ahmed: After the accident Lord Ahmed acted, she said, with considerable integrity, accepted the wrong in sending text messages and you had readily handed your mobile in certain knowledge in what you are extremely cooperative throughout; something about which the police were at pains to point out on your behalf. After the crash you were badly injured and having placed your passengers in safety you then risked your own life by standing in front of the other vehicle, (which had blocked the motorway), in an attempt to ensure that no other road suffered the same fate. She added that this gentleman acted with extreme courage.

The Court acknowledged the remarkable support that you had from various agencies and people of all walks of life. The Lady Justice Hallett said I have assessed the letters of reference in being in excess of 6,000.

The ladyship goes into say that he (Lord Nazir Ahmed) is neither legally or morally responsible for the death. Lord Ahmed was not responsible for the death of the other driver.
Lady Justice Hallett was the chairperson of the Court of Appeal.

So, Lord Nazir Ahmed, the first Muslim Peer, won the appeal and was freed from Jail on Thursday, the 12th of March, 2009, after serving 16 days, and four days early of his sentence term as according to Court’s decision he was due to be released on 20 March.

Praising the admirable services of Lord Nazir Ahmed, Justice Minister Shahid Malik, MP, said on Thursday that he looks forward to work with Lord Ahmed and with all those people who were benefitted from the campaign and good work done by Lord Ahmed.

Shahid Malik also said, “Lord Ahmed has done marvellous job for the rights of Kashmiris, Palestinians, Bosnians and other communities who fully deserve a campaign as has been launched by Lord Ahmed. Undoubtedly, on the basis of his relentless efforts, he deserved to be called champion of human rights.”

Justice Minister also added, “We need more community leaders like Lord Ahmed to accomplish the task initiated by the first Muslim Peer.”

Thanks Giving Evening
Lord Hameed

In the Thanks Giving evening, organised by the Lord Nazir Ahmed Support Campaign Team at the GI Conference Centre, Leyton on Wednesday, 18th of March, Lord Hameed, cross-bench Peer of the House of Lords, said, “I can appreciate the emotion of all of us from this room and many others outside this room at large that the news of this judgement by Justice Hallet has certainly in my mind and in yours demonstrated the Majesty of British justice. And we have every reason to believe there are still in a very mad world very many sane people thankfully in this country. I don’t know if you have seen Lord Nazir Ahmed in action in the House of Lords which I had the privilege of observing and it is a joy to watch his courage; he speaks the truth; he is not afraid and he brings lots of very good things for the entire community of people not only here but outside.”

Addressing Lord Ahmed, Lord Hameed said, “So Lord Nazir, on behalf of everyone in this room, may I say: May you prosper and may you have long, as I am a Doctor, I must bring health into this, a long healthy life. Because you are needed, you are needed by all of us.”

Lord Kenneth Wiggins Maginnis

Lord Kenneth Wiggins Maginnis, Lord Maginnis of Drumglass, the Good Friday Agreement of Northern Ireland, who had been for many years in the House of Commons and then moved into the Upper House of Parliament, and who did not only provide a reference for Lord Ahmed but also attended the Court of Appeal in person, said about Lord Ahmed, “A man of action, a man who has wonderful friendship that’s my experience. When I heard the verdict of the court I was astonished, I was angered and I felt that the law in my country has betrayed something that I believe in and what has impressed me hugely tonight, ladies and gentleman, I not being patronising myself but the forgiveness that I heard expressed here tonight by those of you who spoke the willingness to accept that the court has put right the great wrong they did to Lord Nazir Ahmed encourages me greatly. It’s tremendous to see the press here, can I say, I just wish the western press would take a leaf out of your book. (Applause)”

Lord Maginnis also said, the carelessness with which the action on the motorway was linked together “was grossly unfair and unjust.”

“Can I conclude by saying that I am privileged and proud to be here tonight calling my friend, my brother somebody who has so many friends and brothers; Nazir’s friends are my friends. (Applause),” said Lord Maginnis.

Muhammad Sarwar, MP

Lord Ken had mentioned about the wonderful job Farzana, Lord Ahmed’s secretary did. Referring to that Mohammad Sarwar, MP. said, “His Lordship has mentioned Farzana you are a wonderful person and you are for the campaign, well done Farzana. I think I will not do justice if I don’t mention our journalists, print media, and electronic media for their commitment, for their passion, for their support for Lord Ahmed. We are proud of you; you have done a fantastic job like the issue of Lord Ahmed. I think all of you deserve our appreciation. I saw the support you have shown, the love and the affection you have shown for Lord Ahmed when Lord Ahmed was not among us. I can really say we are proud of you in Britain because you are in difficult time and good time. “

Answering to the point raised by one of the Journalists, Muhammad Sarwar, MP also said, “After consultation with the hierarchy, parliamentarians and the Labour Party. Insha Allah, his (Lord Ahmed’s) membership will be restored within days rather than in weeks.”

Barrister Abid Husain

Barrister Abid Husain, the head of the Lord Ahmed Support Campaign Team, said, “Lord Ahmed joined Labour Party in 1975. He gave 33 years of committed service. I have to tell you this, Lord Ahmed in my view, in my campaign team view, in the community’s view does not need the Labour Party; Labour Party needs him. I have told him to hold his horses; to think, to contemplate. I am quite familiar with the Labour Party Rules; it is a discretionary rule; they should have waited till the appeal happened. We will join Ken Wiggins in the Cross-bencher and there is no harm in that. Lord Ken has demonstrated that you can work outside the party and this should be for the Labour Party over 6,000 applications and with letters of support we stopped counting as the petitions goes in if they want Lord Ahmed back they would have he will not go to them.”

Councillor Mushtaque Lasherie

Councillor Mushtaque Lasherie said, “Lord Ahmed is a symbol of unity everybody has said. I think he is a symbol of courage; he is a symbol of passion, symbol of hard work and symbol of truthfulness as said already. I think last few days, as everybody has said, we have seen a vacuum. He is not only a symbol of unity for Pakistani; he is a symbol of unity of the Muslim community living not only in England but all over the world. You saw him going from here grabbing a teacher who was sentenced in Sudan. My colleague from the Third World Solidarity, Tony and Sandra, both were determined that this sentence was wrong and it has been proved by Lady Justice Hallett that it was wrong. We hope you will carry on your work as you have done last many years, at least ten years, in the House of Lords and we will stand with you to carry on getting justice and peace in the world particularly for the people of Palestine and the people of Kashmir.”

Muhammad Ali, CEO, Islam Channel

Muhammad Ali, CEO of Islam Channel, said, “You have to look after your community. We may be underachieving, we may be poor people; we may be this or that but we still your community; still we are the ones who you will find in the dark days and this is my message to everyone. May Allah Subhanahu wa Taala make Lord Nazir accepted over there (pointing to the Allah the Almighty) which is more important; the same way he is accepted between us tonight Insha Allah.”

Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham

Lord Nazir Ahmed of Rotherham started thanking all, particularly Barrister Abid Husain and all his friends from Asaf to Farzana to all the people who came from Birmingham, slough, from London, East London as well as west London; from all parts of the United Kingdom. “Thank you all. I am the luckiest man in the United Kingdom. I really mean it. I am the luckiest man because the love and affection you have shown, the ordinary people, women, our elderly women,” Lord Ahmed said and added, “Honestly speaking, it was a tabloid media trial and thank God, the Pakistani, the Muslim, the wider British community actually competed with that and actually got all the support. I am not the first victim. Choudhury Mohammed Sarwar, lion heart man sitting beside me, twelve years ago, he was the first victim.”

Lord Ahmed said he was tried at least four times. Explaining Lord Ahmed said, “On the day of accident, some of the headlines actually said six killed Lord car crash or 12 whatever. Because what they did, they counted all the accidents of December 25th and put it together with it. And the second time when the file actually being considered I did not hear from my solicitors or the police that my file was going to CPS, it was the journalist who called me and said that your file is being sent to DPP, what do you have to say to that. You are involved in a death crash. And when I was charged or CPS decided to charge me; normally the police will invite you and normally they will say to you that you are being charged, you have anything to say; on my occasion, I was informed by a TIMES newspaper reporter who called me and said you are being charged for dangerous driving and he did not say death driving but he linked it the death that was caused; what you have to say to that. I said I don’t know about it.”

Lord Ahmed also mentioned that the police officer who interviewed him said: ‘there was no case to answer.’ “The Magistrate that has dealt with it and the three Courts – the District Judge, the High Court Judge and the Court of Appeal – all the judges said that I do not have the legal or moral responsibility for the death or for the accident. Because Mr. Martyn Gombar was drunk; he had a faulty car tires and he had an accident long before I arrived there and two other cars are gone in. This is something that the media chose not to write,” Lord Ahmed explained.

Lord Ahmed also said, “The other man, Gombar’s passenger, believed to be Slovakian, was the only witness; he was taken by the police and the police kept him overnight. And because they did not have any interpreter; they released him and the second day or third day when they tried to bring him back, they found that he has disappeared and that man was actually needed by the Interpol for smuggling people. Everybody knows this. But no newspaper has decided to print that. Why?”

But one thing was clear, according to Lord Ahmed: “The Judge in the original case found that the texting was not connected to the accident. He stated that the texting had in no way contributed to what happened next.”

Lord Ahmed made it a point, “What happened was terrible. What I did in terms of text was bad. I have remorse. I didn’t say I was not guilty. I pleaded guilty and whatever happened I was prepared to take the responsibility but the point I am trying to make is that we did not need Sky TV with its cameras and its vans and the BBC and the CNN and the ITV and the every channel and the whole of the court room was full. They were full with the media.”

“Whatever happened I don’t want to say anything about judiciary because it is the matter for others. But one thing for sure the reason why Lady Justice Hallett gave this verdict of quashing the sentence was because she knew; I mean I was a Magistrate for eight years and I can tell you on all the judgements that I sat as a Magistrate never once they were quashed by the Court of Appeal. On this case when you have a High Court Judge the Court of Appeal actually quashes it that actually said everything,” said Lord Ahmed.

6,500 people have written letters. Lord Ahmed said, “Thank you to millions of Muslims around the world who have prayed for me. I say thank you to all the media; thank you for all the discussions that took place on the TV channels and thank you for your support. I tell you there were three Muslim parliamentarians that wrote a letter of support – Muhammad Sarwar was the first one, Lord Hameed was the other one and Baroness Akhswar, the Iranian lady of the House of Lords from the Cross-bencher was the third one and she wrote a very beautiful letter. These are Muslim parliamentarians I am talking about.”

Referring to Lord Maginnis, Lord Ahmed said, “I tell you something this lion from Northern Ireland, not only wrote letters without asking, Farzana can tell you, we didn’t asking him any letter or support he actually turned up in the court and support my lawyers. Former Lord Chancellor, Law Lords, MPs, Ministers, they all, I am very grateful to them. I am grateful for those the huge amounts of duas, prayers that I received. All I can say thank you.”

Speaking about his experience inside prison, Lord Ahmed said, “I met another Maulana. He wrote to me and says remember if you are in the Palace because of Allah the Almighty and if you are in a prison it is because of Him also. And there is a reason for it. When Babar Ahmed wrote to me from his prison cell four pages: ‘there are people like me for four five and six years in the prison cells and people have forgotten; and we are working for this extradition. I tell you with my brother Muhammad Sarwar and with my brother Ken Maginnis we will do everything.”

Rehabilitation centre for Muslim prisoners

Lord Ahmed said that he can tell lot of stories of his experience inside prison. Referring to Muslim prisoners, Lord Ahmed said, “When I was in prison I started to talk to people; that means white, that means black, that means Muslims, Asians and Turkish. I talk to them. In fact, within a week, we have this beautiful living gathering in our rooms, in our cells. I wanted to know why they were in prison? What motivates them? How can we help them to come out? I know there are Christian organisations and I thank them who help Christian Inmates to rehabilitate. Unfortunately, like Sarwar Saheb said 11% or nearly 12% of the prison population today are Muslims when we are 3% in general public. We do not have any rehabilitation scheme. I asked Syed Lakhtey Hasan when he visited me, please come and start this rehabilitation of Muslim prisoners. The government encourages them to work in voluntary sector. We had 1400 mosques; let these mosque becomes rehabilitation centres for Muslim Prisoners.”

“I ask these young people: ‘would you be prepared to wash the toilets’ and they said, ‘we have no problem to do that; we do it here in the prison. We have no problem in cleaning the wadu facilities; but we also want to learn Qur’an’. If you can embrace me, as Nazir Ahmed, as one of you, why you cannot embrace those people who are in prison. We need to do it for our country’s sake; we need to reduce prison numbers first, for our community’s sake. My maiden speech was Muslim prisoners,” said Lord Ahmed.

About prison services, Lord Ahmed said, “I have been asking for Halal foods in prison. I got some Halal food as well. I was asking for prayer facilities, actually I used those prayer facilities that I asked for. But now I think I need to do more.”

On the text messages, Lord Ahmed said, “I was wrong. In busy life, we all use mobile phones, we all use text messages and that’s why AAA has written to me today to support their campaign on making people aware of the dangers of using it. I agreed straight away. I ask Farzana to write the letter; I ask Farzana to write the letter for Babar Ahmed and it is on our desk.”