Radical Muslim election candidates in Birmingham handed out sweets to celebrate Iran’s ‘success’ against ‘the Zionists’, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
In a video posted online, Wajad Burkey and Sardar Khan, both members of George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain, posed with a box of sweets and praised Iran after it blocked the Strait of Hormuz and secured a ceasefire in the war with Israel and the US.
The shocking footage comes amid growing fears that after 14 years of disastrous Labour rule, England’s second city is on the brink of falling under the control of a coalition of sectarian Muslim politicians.
The Workers Party in Birmingham has formed a pact with the pro–Gaza Independent Candidate Alliance (IAC), led by Akhmed Yakoob, a Lamborghini–driving lawyer with a large following on TikTok.
Polls suggest that with no party expected to win an outright majority, the Workers Party and IAC could form one of the biggest groups on the city council – and potentially be kingmakers in any coalition deal.
The MoS has discovered that radical politicians in Birmingham are declaring their support for Iran as part of their pitch to voters.
In footage posted in April, Mr Burkey, an estate agent and candidate in Bordesley Green, explains how Mr Khan, a candidate in Bromford & Hodge Hill, had visited his office to celebrate Iran’s resistance.
He said: ‘Today we are celebrating the success of [the] Iranian government against the Zionists.
In a video posted online, Wajad Burkey and Sardar Khan (both pictured), both members of George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain, posed with a box of sweets and praised Iran after it blocked the Strait of Hormuz
‘So, Brother Sardar Khan, the councillor candidate for Hodge Hill, has brought sweets and is distributing sweets everywhere.
‘Congratulations to the whole Muslim world for a huge success for Iran,’ he added.
Lord Austin, the former Labour MP for Dudley North, last night described the candidates’ backing of Iran as ‘nothing short of traitorous.’ He added: ‘These Birmingham candidates openly express their support for a regime that wants to annihilate Britain and the West.
‘They support a brutal racist dictatorship that murdered 35,000 people in two days earlier this year for daring to protest against the regime.
‘It exports terrorism across the Middle East and Europe, and its agents have orchestrated more than 20 attacks here in the UK.
‘This disgusting clip ought to receive attention from Britain’s counter terror police.’
Last night Mr Burkey, the Workers Party election coordinator for the West Midlands, said Mr Khan ‘just turned up with the sweets and I didn’t really think anything of it.’
He added: ‘I wasn’t interested in anything political but thought that is his business.’
Mr Khan did not respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, Akhmed Yakoob, who runs IAC with local property
developer Shakeel Afsar, has also voiced his support for Iran, declaring in another TikTok video that ‘Iran has won,’ adding: ‘Iran has refused to bow down to Zionism and American Imperialism.’
In recent weeks, both men, neither of whom are standing for election themselves, joined pro–Iranian regime protests outside an Islamic cultural centre in Birmingham.
During one demonstration in March, activists set fire to an Israeli flag and chanted ‘death to the IDF’ [Israel Defence Forces].
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps take part in a march in September 2024
Mosque leader: Cast vote for our brothers
By Mark Hookham
A major mosque faced criticism last night after worshippers were urged to vote for Muslim candidates during this Thursday’s crunch local elections.
Worshippers at Harrow Central Mosque in London were told during Friday prayers last month to ‘give priority’ to any ‘Muslim brother’ on the ballot paper.
The comments – captured on a YouTube livestream – will fuel fears of sectarian politics and of religious leaders attempting to influence voters.
During prayers on April 17, a senior member of the mosque, which has a capacity of 4,500, addressed worshippers and warned them that if they don’t register to vote ‘you can’t vote, and when you can’t vote, then we don’t have the people in the council…’
He added: ‘When the 7th of May election [takes place], stay in the queue and vote for your brothers. If you find any Muslim brother in there, give priority to them.’
Lord Walney, the government’s former extremism tsar, said: ‘This case typifies the alarming rise of sectarianism that’s taking hold in Britain. Religious interference like this … is still deeply damaging to our democracy. For too long our political leaders have been too afraid to call it out.’
The mosque did not respond to a request for comment.
