Former Labour Islington Councillor Rakhia Ismail, who quit Labour in October over claims of racism and oppression by the party, has said “the antisemitism crisis was just the start of Labour’s problems,” after a report out on Friday showed more than one-in-three Muslim Labour members have witnessed Islamophobia in the party. Ismail, who was the UK’s first hijab-wearing mayor, tells Guido:

“A third of Labour’s muslim members have experienced Islamophobia. I was one of them.”

Going onto to punchily argue:

“Instead of wildly accusing others of racism, Labour should get their own house in order. They could start by investigating my case. Otherwise I won’t be the last member to leave and join the Conservatives.”

Over the weekend the left of the Labour Party began attacking those who spent years reporting on Labour’s antisemitism crisis for not turning their attention this new chronic problem within Labour’s ranks. Given that 60% to 70% of Muslims in recent elections have voted Labour, this would be an existential electoral issue if their vote disappeared the way the Jewish vote did in 2019…

The Tories have gained their first seat on Islington Borough Council since 1994 after the UK’s first Hijab-wearing mayor defected to them from Labour over claims of racism and oppression from Corbyn’s own branch patch. Rakhia Ismail, who quit Labour in October threatening legal action against the party, today joined the Tories while simultaneously backing their mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey. In a campaign video, she criticises Sadiq Khan’s record on knife crime… 

Somalia-born Ismail had been a councillor in Islington for almost a decade before resigning in what she described as an “escape” from the “oppression” of fellow Labour councillors’ “discriminatory behaviour”. Quite a coup for the beleaguered London Tories…