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London’s Muslim community leaders, in an unprecedented intervention, have come out in support of Ken Livingstone’s re-election as Mayor of London today.

The British Muslim Initiative (BMI) has issued a document supporting Livingstone which has been signed by more than sixty mainstream Muslim organisations and figureheads who are said to represent the majority of London’s Muslims.

The BMI was formed to fight racism and Islamaphobia, combat the challenges Muslims face around the world, encourage Muslim participation in British public life, and improve relations between the West and the Muslim world.

The document states:
“Since June 2000, Ken Livingstone has been an outstanding Mayor of London. He has stood out in support of a multi-cultural society and has supported the Muslim communities of the city against racism and Islamophobia as well as all other minorities against all types of prejudice. His stands and policies have constantly championed justice in the Middle East and around the world, freedom for the Palestinians and withdrawal of occupying troops from Iraq; a rare trait of modern-day public figures. He has enhanced London’s standing in the world and helped improve the lives of all of the city’s communities. For those and many more traits continuously and consistently demonstrated by the Ken Livingstone, we the undersigned believe that it is in the best interest of the Muslim communities of London, and indeed all Londoners, to back Mr. Livingstone in this year’s mayoral elections.”

Commenting on the statement, Sir Iqbal Sacranie, former General Secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain said,
“I have followed closely the political career of Ken Livingstone for many years and had the pleasure of working closely with him. As Mayor, he has served the diverse communities of our capital with true distinction. Under his stewardship London’s Muslims and people of faith communities were given a voice and encouraged to be part of the mainstream as equal partners and genuine stakeholders. Things could only get better for all Londoners under his continued leadership”.

Prof Tariq Ramadan, a Senior Research Fellow at St Antony’s College, Oxford and also a signatory to the statement said,
“Ken Livingstone has consistently used his office to oppose war and promote the cause of peace. He has stood firm against racism, championed the rights of minorities against prejudice and discrimination, and been one of the strongest advocates for a diverse and multicultural society. At home and abroad he has supported those struggling for justice.

Livingstone is standing against the Conservative candidate, Boris Johnson (left), and Brian Paddick for the Liberal Democrats in the election in May this year.  Earlier this week Paddick attacked Johnson for behaving like a “clown”.  Anas Altikriti, spokesperson for the BMI said,
“Muslims in London feel that for the Conservative party to choose Boris Johnson who wrote that Islam is ‘the most viciously sectarian of all religions’ and that ‘Islamophobia seems a natural reaction’ was nothing short of an insult to London’s Muslims as well as its ethnic and religious minorities”.

A full list of the signatories to the statement can be found here.

New figures released by the Institute for Public Policy Research reveal the continuing poverty amongst the working poor.  According to the IPPR research more than a million children in Britain are living in poverty despite the fact that at least one of their parents is in work.

Studies show that poverty and child poverty, in particular, disproportionately affect ethnic minorities. The Joseph Rowntree Foundation published research last year which showed that the poverty rate for Britain’s minority ethnic groups stands at 40%, double the 20% found amongst white British people.  The Child Poverty Action Group has also conducted research which shows that children from ethnic minorities are more likely to be living in poverty in Britain than their white counterparts.

The new research from the IPPR released today shows that, although 600,000 children have been lifted out of poverty in the last ten years in the UK, the total number of poor children in working households has stayed the same at 1.4 million. Half of all poor children now live in a working household.

The report argues that lifting these ‘forgotten million’ children out of poverty requires action to tackle high numbers of poor children in working couple families and improve wages at the very bottom of the labour market. Specifically ippr recommends a package of measures to improve work incentives for low income couples and increase financial support through tax credits, along with action to boost the effectiveness of the minimum wage.

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2008 got off to a good start for Senator Barack Obama. A new poll carried out for the Des Moines Register of Democrat caucus voters in Iowa, published on New Years Day, showed Obama leading by 7 points over Senator Hillary Clinton, after a string of polls had suggested it would be a dead heat in the state between Obama, Clinton and former Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards.

Obama polled 32 % whilst Clinton trailed on 25%, with Edwards on 24% in the poll. A 7 point lead will provide encouragement to the Obama camp as it is large enough to account for the poll’s sampling error of plus or minus 3.5%.

However, 6% of those surveyed said they were undecided or uncommitted, and approximately a third of those polled said they may change their minds before the caucus vote on Thursday, suggesting there is still all to play for.

The Iowa caucus is the first test for those seeking the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination for the U.S presidential election in November.

UPDATE: TMP sources in Iowa indicate that turnout is likely to be high with many previously politically apathetic voters likely to take part in the caucus and attending candidate rallies.

TMP’s EU columnist, Anne Fairweather, looks ahead at the Slovenian Presidency. 

Slovenia is taking the lead in the EU for the next 6 months. If it wasn’t for easyjet even more of you would be saying ‘who?’ ‘where?’

Every 6 months sees a new direction for the EU under a new Presidency, a typical EU compromise that allows all nations a chance to lead the EU, if for a short time. Slovenia is the first of the ‘new’ member states who joined the EU in 2004 to take to the helm. Slovenia is a very small nation with around 2 million inhabitants. The Presidency gives such a small country the opportunity to make an impact on the EU agenda. In reality many of Slovenia’s priorities will be driven by the legislative agenda. However one area where the focus between Presidencies often changes is that of external affairs. Presidencies tend to shift the focus to their neighbouring states or ex-colonies. In this respect Slovenia’s Presidency could not have come at a better time.

Slovenia was the first of the ex-Yugoslav republics to become independent in 1991 after only 10 days of fighting. This relatively stress free exit from Yugoslavia has allowed for what was the most economically advanced of the Yugoslav republics to continue to develop within the EU where it is fast catching up with more developed western European nations.

However Slovenia is deeply concerned with the fate of its former sister republics from the ex-Yugoslavia. The Slovene Presidency is in an ideal position to further the relationship between the EU and Croatia and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia who are negotiating membership along with smoothing the path for Bosnia, Serbia and Montenegro to join in the future. It also assumes the Presidency at a vital time in discussions over the fate of Kosovo.

The Slovene Presidency will bring expertise to the EU’s negotiating efforts. Most inhabitants of the ex-Yugoslavia have links to the other republics, whether through relatives, friends or business connections. In addition Slovenia shares a history with these republics and so has a good insight into where they are coming from.

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