Scotland’s quiet revolution

Page 35
Q-News, Issue 362
April 2005

Feeling betrayed by Labour, Arifa Farooq reports on how Scottish Muslims are challenging the political status quo and might even be willing to ditch Westminster for the promise of Holyrood. 

The mosque reverberated with heckles and jeers as Mohammed Sarwar MP parroted Labour’s party line regarding the government’s highly controversial plan for anti-terror control orders. The spiel obviously hadn’t gone down as well as planned.

This recent gathering at a Glasgow mosque was held to discuss and debate the government’s current stance on Iraq, but the agenda also included Guantanamo, Palestine and the erosion of civil liberties. The event was by no means an isolated one. In tartan country, this type of spirited discussion can be expected during the election and beyond.

We’re going through a quiet revolution in Scotland which is slowly changing the region’s political and cultural landscape. For the benefit of the many who have never ventured to the northern regions of the British Isles and view Glasgow as part of the Arctic Circle, let me explain. We do brave the elements  - rain, hail and decidedly Baltic temperatures, but the sun does put in an appearance every so often to smile on the inhabitants of the west coast. What really bemuses us are our brethren south of Hadrian’s Wall who know little of Glasgow’s Muslim community, which has been an established and vibrant part of the city for over 50 years. Historically Pakistani with some Arabs thrown into mix, Glasgow Muslims now also include, due to the influx of asylum seekers, various African nationalities. The appeal of Glasgow might be its traditional tenement building or it’s infamous penchant for Mars supper (fried Mars bars in batter accompanied with chips). Rioting is certainly not our style, so the national press largely ignores us. Make no mistake - we pride ourselves as a peaceful community but we are also busy carving out a place for ourselves in the Scottish diaspora and we are certainly politicised. After all, we made history by putting the first Muslim MP into Westminster.

So what about this quiet revolution unfolding in our midst? Within the Muslim community we’re beginning to witness a uniquely Scottish Muslim identity evolving, a factor which will certainly impact our voting behaviour in the coming election. Glasgow, which has the largest Muslim population in Scotland, has always been traditionally Labour. But this can no longer be guaranteed. Our parents greatly identified with the ideals of old Labour; they readily signed up in the 1960s and 1970s and never looked back. But the same can’t be said about their progeny. As born and bred Scots, many of us who probably voted Labour out of sheer habit have become increasingly disillusioned with Blair’s politics. As one of “Thatcher’s children”, I cast my first vote in 1997 to the party my parents had always voted. A Labour comeback to office after an 18-year absence was filled with promise. My hope didn’t last long. I was shocked when they ushered in the first wave of student tuition fees and have been increasingly dismayed by policy betrayals right up to war on Iraq and anti-terror legislation. There is a growing voice within Scottish Muslims that is asking us to consider our options electoral options beyond Labour. So, who will be the beneficiary of the disenfranchised Muslim vote? It would be a fair assumption that the Scottish National Party would probably gain a substantial minority of such ballots. With Westminster being a constant source of disappointment many of us are ready to give Holyrood a chance. If there is one thing we can thank Labour for, is that it initiated and set in motion the process of devolution. As a nation of die-hard bravehearts, I think we would quite fancy the idea of flashing our passports when travelling across the border!

Apart from the impending election, the coming G8 summit is getting our political pulse racing. With the eyes and ears of the world on us, we’re grabbing every opportunity to showcase our political dynamism. We are passionate about social justice, fair trade and the state of our global environment and are well under way with the organisation of the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign. Should anyone be interested in joining us, protests will kick off on the 2nd July in Edinburgh.

As for the people that left the mosque that cold chilly night, although politically charged many where not holding their breaths for the election to bring any radical change. The wheels have been set in motion but it’s a long hard slog up that hill of peace and justice. Though we are confident we’ll get there - slowly and surely.

Arifa Farooq is a freelance documentary filmmaker from Glasgow.