05 February 2016

Muslim women 'stopped from becoming Labour councillors'

A Muslim women's group has written to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn claiming women have been stopped from becoming councillors by Muslim men in the party.

Muslim Women's Network UK demanded an inquiry into "systematic misogyny displayed by significant numbers of Muslim male local councillors".

"They don't like women to be heard, to be empowered," it told BBC Newsnight.

Labour said it had the best record of any of the parties in selecting female and ethnic minority candidates.

As Mr Corbyn prepared to speak to the Association of Labour Councillors on Saturday, BBC Newsnight spoke to about a dozen Muslim women up and down the country.

They appeared to point to a pattern of obstruction from within Labour Muslim ranks and back up Muslim Women's Network UK's complaints of sabotage. [BBC] Read more