A confidential independent report has determined that a former Conservative councillor faced consistent discrimination based on his Muslim religion or Pakistani heritage. Mohammed Arif, formerly a Walsall councillor, alleged in 2015 that the local party had barred him from standing for re-election while engaging in discriminatory practices. He asserted that the party has not issued an honest apology for the discrimination he faced.
The Conservative Party was unable to comment on Mr. Arif’s situation due to ongoing court proceedings. The party has recently been criticized for alleged Islamophobia in its ranks following the suspension of former deputy chairman Lee Anderson, who claims that “Islamists” have taken over the Mayor of London.
Mr. Arif initiated legal action against the Walsall Conservative Federation and the national party in 2019. The lawsuit was resolved by the Conservative Party, which then commissioned an independent investigation by a barrister. The report concluded in 2021 that Walsall Conservative Federation had practiced persistent discrimination against Mr. Arif over several years, even when he was expelled from the party.
The report claimed that the party’s national headquarters lacked the tools to handle the discrimination, which was perpetuated despite Conservative head office’s repeated interventions. The negative views reflect some criticisms from a 2021 report by Prof Swaran Singh, which investigated allegations of Islamophobia within the Conservative Party. The Federation refused to participate in the investigation and has strongly denied the accusations.
Mr. Arif claimed that he had experienced significant personal and financial effects from the discriminatory actions, and sees the Conservative Party’s handling of the situation as inadequate. He claimed that the party does not take discrimination against Muslim individuals or communities seriously, with the perception that they “see no evil, hear no evil” when such discrimination arises. The barrister’s report, which forms part of an ongoing court case between Mr. Arif and the Walsall Conservative Federation, notes years of claims, counter-claims, and allegations of “personal vendettas” between individuals involved in the party
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