LONDON: The British-Muslim vote could play a significant role in around 100 constituencies around the UK, found a new research.
A new campaign group called “The Muslim Vote” and the right-wing “Henry Jackson Society” (HJS) have put the number of seats at 92 and 120, saying the population is more than 10 percent Muslims in around 100 seats.
The Henry Jackson Society’s research on religious diversity in UK constituencies puts the number at 120 where Muslim vote can play a crucial role, particularly in swing seats.
The HJS said that out of the 220 most marginal seats in the general election, Islam is the largest religion in 129 of them. The second largest minority religion in marginal seats is Hinduism followed by Sikhism and Judaism.
The 220 marginal seats at the general election make up 33.8 percent of all available seats. Chief executive of Electoral Calculus, Martin Baxter, said that the results of their most recent MRP poll found that religion is a key factor in how people vote.
This was demonstrated when in the local elections held earlier this year, dozens of candidates around the country ran on a Gaza ticket and defeated their Labour rivals.
Labour votes are in areas with a high Muslim population including Blackburn, Bradford, Pendle, Oldham, Luton, London and Manchester. If the same pattern is repeated at the July 4 polls at the hands of the Gaza candidates, the Labour will further lose support in these areas.
The Muslim Vote, is a campaign group set up by Muslim organisations, to encourage the participation of Muslims in 92 seats where the Muslim voters are above 10 percent of the total vote.
However, all agree that Muslims are a diverse group and are divided on ethnic, political and sectarian lines.
