Muslims abandon Labour over Iraq war

[DuctapeFatwa]

Labour's share of the British Muslim vote has fallen by a half since the last general election because of the UK's role in the Iraq war, according to the results of a special Guardian/ICM poll published today.

The ICM survey of the state of public opinion among Britain's 1.6 million Muslim community was commissioned to mark the start of the Guardian's week-long coverage of the first anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.

The poll shows that Tony Blair has paid a heavy political price for the war among traditionally Labour-voting British Muslims. It reveals strong hostility to Mr Blair personally and Labour support slumping from 75% of Muslim voters at the last general election to only 38% now. Most disillusioned former Labour Muslim voters have switched to the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

The ICM survey also shows that the overwhelming majority of British Muslims - 73% - are strongly opposed to terrorist attacks by al-Qaida and other organisations. But a small minority - 13% of British Muslims - disturbingly say they believe further such attacks on the US would be justified.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,12956,1169486,00.html

[roguevalley]

1. I'm not surprised. By the cons would deport them. Lib dem gains?

[gulliver]

2. Bring em on!

This is a crusade, you know. Our "war president" (as he calls himself!) has really gotten us into some deep doo-doo. Even 13% or British Muslims think further attacks would be justified!! I wonder what the percentages are among the rest of the worlds billion or so Muslims.

How can anyone think the world is a safer place now? Perhaps one hundred million Muslims have been pushed toward radical anti-US sentiment.

Coffee's ready, America. Bush is bad medicine.

[Disturbed]

3. Blair

He should be on trial for War Crimes.

[CerealMurderer]

4. Coffee's ready, America. Bush is bad medicine

What was the excuse for all the terror bombings against the USA when bush was not president? Were they justified too?

[_Jumper_]

5. Foreign policy toward Muslims

Both parties are perceived as anti-Muslim by Muslims and both are equally as staunch in their support for 5 million Israelis against 300 million Arabs. Bush is worse but the real problem is that we are perceived as--and in some respects indeed are--anti-Muslim. The policies are the real problem, not a particular president or one war.