United Kingdom: Muslim woman in favor of ‘sex-segregated areas’ wins local election in Burnley
The young woman, just 18, ran as an independent candidate with an openly pro-Palestine campaign and advocates an end to "free mixing" between men and women in public spaces.
Muslim women- file image.
Maheen Kamran was recently elected councilor of Burnley in Lancashire County, in the United Kingdom.
Kamran got 1,357 votes, while Gavin Theaker, representing right-wing party Reform U.K., came second with 1,089 votes.
The young woman, barely 18 years old, ran as an independent candidate with an openly pro-Palestine campaign, motivated by what she considers a "genocide" as a consequence of Israel's war against Hamas.
An intolerant and segregationist political stance
During an interview, Kamran said to PoliticsHome that she wants to encourage public spaces where there is no "free mixing" between men and women.
"There's a big aspect of free mixing," she said. "Muslim women aren’t really comfortable with being involved with Muslim men. I'm sure we can have segregated areas, segregated gyms, where Muslim women don't have to sacrifice their health."
This represents a clear Islamist influence in local politics.
Pro-Palestine independent candidates, a problem for the U.K.
Muslims have been part of the Labour Party coalition for decades. However, according to PoliticsHome, as a result of the war in Gaza, many now prefer to vote for independent candidates such as Maheen Kamran. This represents a major problem for the United Kingdom.
It was precisely in Burnley, a Labour-dominated town, where 10 councillors resigned from the Labour Party in November 2023 over the Palestine issue.
Similarly, in July 2024 in the United Kingdom, sectarian candidates were elected for the first time in nearly 100 years, with five pro-Palestine independents snatching seats from Labour.
A voting trend that could persist
"I don’t see Labour being able to resolve this issue with the Muslim community in places where there are large Muslim populations," Hayward told PoliticsHome, adding that it will be even harder for Labour to win these voters back as long as the conflict in Gaza continues.
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