[Livia]

Originally Posted by JoshBB

This thread is a few days old but I'm going to put my comments here anyway. If what she says is true, then that's disgusting because nobody should be prevented into parliament on the basis of their religion, and Labour should be ashamed. But somehow I doubt that the party who elected the first two muslim women MPs is worse for muslims' opportunity than the tories. Labour also has pretty good affirmative action as far as I have researched (and even those against 'positive discrimination' would agree with that), and for that reason I cannot imagine they would actively discriminate against muslim women.

We're talking about councillors, not MPs, so Parliament isn't in the equation. Government and local government are not the same things.

There is a selection process when you become a councillor. If you plan to represent a party and not stand as an independent you have firstly to apply and become an approved candidate. After you are approved you are put forward for selection. It is at that selection, by the party involved, that you are either chosen to stand as a candidate for the party, or you are not. I'm sure lots of people get as far as selection and are not chosen. I doubt very much this woman was not selected because she's a Muslim, it's more likely it's because she didn't have the experience or that there was a much better candidate.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Livia

We're talking about councillors, not MPs, so Parliament isn't in the equation. Government and local government are not the same things.

There is a selection process when you become a councillor. If you plan to represent a party and not stand as an independent you have firstly to apply and become an approved candidate. After you are approved you are put forward for selection. It is at that selection, by the party involved, that you are either chosen to stand as a candidate for the party, or you are not. I'm sure lots of people get as far as selection and are not chosen. I doubt very much this woman was not selected because she's a Muslim, it's more likely it's because she didn't have the experience or that there was a much better candidate.

It does state in the article she did not have the support of even her own father as well as other men in her party specifically due to gender issues.
How can we aid women to break down these walls especially within these communities if we deny they exist?
She has very honestly suggested that patriarchal attitudes contributed to her non selection, that sentiment is echoed by others, to not acknowledge it is not progressive.