ELECTION BLOG: Muslim voters urged to target Denis MacShane

DENIS MacShane is the target of a Muslim bid to oust him from the Rotherham constituency where he has been MP since 1994.

A correspondent on the website of the Muslim Public Affairs Committee asked for help in organising what he calls Operation Muslim Vote, Rotherham.

The idea is to harness the Muslim vote in the town to unseat Dr MacShane, who has held the Rotherham seat for 16 years, because of his pro-Israeli views.

Muslim voters are urged to vote for any candidate other than Dr MacShane, just to get rid of him.

The MPAC correspondent, who signs himself only as M Ditta, writes --and I quote verbatim:

"Dennis(sic) McShanes majority is 10,000 and there's about 6,000-8,000 Muslims in Rotherham, its going to be very tough but I don't mind trying, even though I have found no one to help me, to even flyer in Rotherham. I will continue to ask around or maybe someone from the site might get in contact?"

His plea (click here to read it) has been backed by the MPAC website.

It says:  "Are Muslims human?

"Rotherham MP Denis MacShane hardly seems to think so as he complained about media coverage that 'humanises' Palestinians!

"It's time the thousands of Muslims in Rotherham kicked out this pro-war, pro-Israel Islamophobe."

It then appeals for anyone who is prepared to help distribute an anti-MacShane leaflet (pictured here), which was produced after M Ditta appealed for help in producing publicity material.  Click here to read the appeal.

Operation Muslim Vote has been used before against sitting MPs, notably Jack Straw in Blackburn in 2005. He criticised MPAC's campaign tactics as being overly aggressive.

Now, it's no secret that Dr MacShane has pro-Israeli views and has been critical of the Muslim community in the past.

But surely the democratic way to take him on is to challenge his views and win the argument at the ballot box.

Negative tactical voting like this does nobody any favours.

Dr MacShane himself told the Advertiser :"MPACUK constantly attack all MPs who do not support their fanatically anti-Jewish line.

"I ignore attacks from the BNP and I do not propose to respond to attacks from other unrepresentative extremists.

"My support for the suffering of the Kashmiri, Palestinian and other oppressed people of the world is a matter of record. I combat anti-Muslim and anti-Jewish prejudice with equal fervour.

"I opppose terrorism whatever the justification on offer from the ideological supporters of hate and violence. The BNP and MPACUK have long attacked and targetted me and I scorn their extremist views with contempt."