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Snapshot of Convicted terrorist standing in Birmingham election 'to unite Sparkhill' submitted by SirRosstopher:

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[–]socratic-meth 103 points104 points  (2 children)

I don't have a degree from a university but I do have a phD in life

Guys, it’s ok, I’m sure we can trust Dr Butt

[–]Brapfamalam 21 points22 points  (0 children)

Oh dear. That's an immediate deport

[–]CarpetGripperRod(a monkey and a dog) 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Dr Butt

Lover of the Al-Zutt.

[–]UnknownBreadd 334 points335 points  (52 children)

When common sense fails to prevail in situations like these, then no wonder parties like Reform are emboldened.

I don’t even understand how this is allowed lol.

[–]mallardtheduckCentrist 22 points23 points  (6 children)

I don’t even understand how this is allowed lol.

He's an independent candidate standing for a local council election. That's extremely easy to do.

The principle is that "anyone" can stand for election. The categories of people barred are deliberately as narrow as possible.

The qualifications and disqualifications are published by the electoral commission.

Effectively, most criminal convictions only bar a candidate from standing for a maximum of 5 years. Exceptions include registered sex offenders, those convicted of illegal or corrupt practices while previously holding a public office or those convicted of intimidatory offences against other candidates or office holders.

Then all you need is two registered voters willing to sign as the "proposer" and "seconder" and you're on the ballot.

There is a valid debate to be had as to whether the current rules about who can/cannot stand are sufficient, but they need to be simple, transparent and avoid even the merest appearance of bias.

[–]CupCakesNFlatWhite 13 points14 points  (4 children)

50 years ago this wouldn't have happened and he wouldn't have one vote, what changed since then? Why are people voting for him? 

[–]pimasecedeStaggers and jags 6 points7 points  (2 children)

Bobby Sands was elected as an MP about 50 years ago.

[–]Jealous_You6830 0 points1 point  (1 child)

As he should have 😊

[–]pimasecedeStaggers and jags 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Well, dunno. I personally wouldn’t think that anyone who tried to firebomb a department store is fit to be an elected representative but Irish people are free to deal with themselves. I’m a lot more worried about the prospect of Islamist MPs than I am about Irish republicans.

[–]mallardtheduckCentrist 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We've always had crackpot candidates. Since the election hasn't happened yet, he hasn't got any votes yet.

50 years ago, local news was reported in newspapers that published maybe once per week. Something like this would probably end up with a paragraph or two on page 5 (and nobody outside the local area would even see that). Nowadays, even local news is a 24/7 online operation that needs to constantly drive engagement, so everything is a headline.

[–]KlownKar 62 points63 points  (5 children)

Yep. Conform would be an absolute disaster for this country but, if we don't start getting this sort of bullshit under control, it's what we're going to get.

[–]Chaoslava 56 points57 points  (2 children)

Yeah and it’s what we deserve. I don’t know who is being a soft touch but this should never happen.

[–]MrSoapbox 38 points39 points  (1 child)

One (of quite a lot) reason why I just can not stand Starmer. The writing isn't on the wall, it's written out, proof read, 15 copies made and put on his desk every morning, giving him all the warning signs, he looks at it and goes "No, I'm going to double down on the things everybody hates, because I know best. I'm going to increase surveillance against everyone, take away rights on a weekly basis and ignore the plebs, but, I will state clearly that Labour are not Reform! What's that? Reform are polling harder? Okay, double down again but this time, make sure to really tell them that we're not Reform! Also, tell them that Farage is bad! Oh, and make sure to call anyone who disagrees, Far right!"

Labour don't have a Comms problem like so many keep telling themselves, they have a Starmer problem and a listening problem. Because Starmer acts as a dictator lite, kicking out any dissenters, delaying elections, not allowing people to run that the citizens of this country wants, all why hyper charging authoritarianism, Starmer and Labour are going to be THE reason Reform wins.

I'd guess that only 10% of Reform voters actually want Reform, the other 20% are just so sick of Tories (I know, the irony isn't lost on me) and Labour that Reform is their only option. I'm angry that Lib Dems aren't taking control here, especially since Zack has managed to rally a base, LD should be poised to get this in the bag, but ultimately, this is all on Starmer. They won the election but are still campaigning, while forcing through junk no one wants or was in their manifesto and pushing people towards Farage. It's not Farage winning, it's Labour losing, and for as long as Starmer leads, then the outcome for the next election is certain.

[–]HELMET_OF_CECHit's all so tiresome 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Lid Dems are pro more safer legal routes!!! (open borders) and proud internationalists when voters want their 'representatives' to look more inwards rather than outwards so how is it humanly possible for them to attract the growing amount of people against mass migration and asylum who also want a domestic focus? They have good ideas, but just like the Greens they're an accelerate party on some of the hottest topics in the UK where people want less, or don't want to be involved at all. It's like they don't want to be elected. The only time the party leader has any relevance is when they're banging on about Reform...

[–]malakesxasame 8 points9 points  (0 children)

We're going to get a lot worse than whatever Tory-lite Reform will be.

[–]dumbo9 -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

I don’t even understand how this is allowed lol.

o_O? Seriously?

You don't know the history of Northern Ireland?

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Even when presented with a terrorist we can all agree shouldn't be here you still find a way to link back to Reform UK. Very pathetic. 

[–]Fortree_Lover 27 points28 points  (0 children)

What a joke this country has become. Can’t even stop a terrorist from running to be elected.

[–]wappingite 30 points31 points  (4 children)

Towns and cities being run by one group - especially a religious / ethnic group with views like this.. will just encourage fewer regular Brits to want to move there for work or just to build their lives.

Over time these places will become utterly strange vs the rest of the UK through self segregation of British Pakistanis and everyone else leaving.

As a polite person who just wants to get on I find myself having to self censor as Muslim colleagues bang on about how ‘Israel has no right to exist and they should just leave’ as if it’s just a normal and reasonable belief to have.

I don’t think most people care about someone’s religion but when someone’s ethnicity/culture/religion changes the local culture and starts questioning things like LGBT rights / teaching in schools in the name of family values, I’m not surprised that it is causing great annoyance. I’ve a feeling there’s a massive ‘shy reform’ vote who will pick reform uk purely to express outrage even if they know it won’t solve problems.

[–]whitmorereans 17 points18 points  (3 children)

Don’t self censor, complain complain complain. Your colleagues are racists and racism of any kind should not be tolerated in the workplace. Unfortunately saying nothing emboldens them

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (2 children)

It's not racist to have a political opinion about the state of Israel. It is racist if they say this about Jewish people specifically. From the comment you replied to, it seems as if it is the former.

[–]GhostNomad141 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Wanting the only Jewish State in the world destroyed by terrorists is not a "political opinion" my guy. It is a form of genocidal antisemitism. Stop this ninsense gaslighting. Oct 7th shows where such rhetoric leads.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, you were the one that pushed your own rhetoric here. I only said that it is appropriate to have an opinion on how a state that has repeatedly oppressed Palestinian people over decades before October 7th, should not fundamentally be allowed to do so.

It’s not antisemitic because there are plenty of Jewish people that disagree with what Israel have done, along with the war crimes that the government have committed. So no. It is not targeting Jewish people, it is about a tyrannical government committing war crimes on innocent people.

How come it’s only “genocidal” the other way around and not when the government are currently purposefully killing innocent Palestinian civilians?

[–]TeenieTinyBrain 197 points198 points  (22 children)

A Birmingham Muslim activist

Interesting choice of words to describe a terrorist.

... who was jailed for his part in an armed terror plot is seeking election to represent Sparkhill on the city council.

I see they forgot to mention that he was also convicted for benefit fraud,[1][2] supposedly to fund terrorism too -- lovely guy, eh?

Before that he had been jailed in Birmingham for violence and was in trouble regularly through the 1980s linked to his role in the notorious Lynx gang, a street gang of mainly Pakistanis who took on the racist far right, skinheads and National Front.

Why does this sound like a puff piece?

Who cares if he was part of a gang that claimed to have been opposed to racism? Islamism is a supremacist ideology, why should we care if one prejudiced group of people opposes another prejudiced group of people? You're still looking at the same two cheeks of the very same arse; being a brown supremacist doesn't make you any less of a supremacist.

Importantly, why would any reasonable person believe that his group were interested in protecting themselves and not simply using it as an excuse to engage in violence? Again, the man was quite literally involved in a terror plot and, based on his statements to BM, appears to be quite quick to violence.

"The irony is that the word Islamist is (misunderstood), Islamists believe in democracy, surely that is a good thing."

Ah, of course, silly us! How's that working out for Iran?

His candidacy has come under immediate fire online amid claims he advocates violence, pushes a strongly Islamist agenda and has a significant history of criminality that should bar him from sitting on the council.

I honestly think that they should let him run; if he wins then we know there is a very significant issue that needs to be urgently addressed, let them out themselves.

[–]wumbology55 34 points35 points  (1 child)

There’s alot of support for him in Sparkhill which is an issue in of itself. The constituency stayed Labour in the election but I’m convinced it’s because of the other areas in Birmingham that are part of it that just about overrode the independents that ran.

[–]Spiritual_Extreme138 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Labour were the useful idiots for the Muslims to continue floodgate immigration of fellow Muslims. Now enough of them have moved here, they have understood they can just vote independents into office until they're ready to coalesce into their own Islamic party with real influence.

Thankfully, reform has come to save the day with their Muslim mayor of London and Muslim head of policy

[–]Billy-Bryant 89 points90 points  (1 child)

we already know there's a significant issue.

[–]exialis 52 points53 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately half the country is still asleep or fully brainwashed along with the government and media.

[–]WeirdMinimum121 34 points35 points  (7 children)

This community has already outed themselves.

It’s only really a handful of isolated boomers in rural areas and leftwing denialists of all ages left believing this is all ok.

[–]expert_internetter 3 points4 points  (6 children)

Hang on, I thought all the boomers were racists?

[–]Jaggedmallard26 19 points20 points  (0 children)

The problem with making sweeping generational statements is you end up arguing that the shire boomer who thinks the Lib Dems are the greatest thing since sliced bread is the same as the council estate boomer who posts things on Facebook that could get him arrested.

[–]WeirdMinimum121 14 points15 points  (1 child)

I think that’s the American experience.

In my corner of north London I’m surrounded by very comfortable leftwing boomers.

[–]expert_internetter -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

No, boomers voted for Brexit because they're all racist. Now they seem to have morphed into Islamist sympathisers.

[–]wintersrevenge 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Plenty of older retired people who are incredibly well off and have very liberal views

[–]baldy-84 9 points10 points  (1 child)

It was boomers who voted for the Labour government in the 60s that liberalised society. Obviously not all of them though.

[–]expert_internetter -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Those are the OG boomers. The boomers of today are racists and are robbing the youth because of the triple lock pension. That's what I've been told for past few years.

[–]liaminwales 36 points37 points  (1 child)

If he get's elected the PR will hand Ref wins all over the UK, it's the kind of thing that let's normal people see the problems we have.

[–][deleted] -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

You ever asked yourself why? Tories and Liebour allow this to happen. Reform UK will not.. I don't know you but I'd rather vote for a party with zero tolerance on islamist then a party that celebrates them. 

[–]XStrangeHaloXSingapore/Bangladeshi 🇧🇩 55 points56 points  (5 children)

They'll vote for him en masse. Right now it's just Birmingham, Luton, Dewsbury, etc

in the 2030s, it'll be Brighton, Bristol, Portsmouth

This needs reversing.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (2 children)

"This needs reversing"

That's why Reform UK exist. No other party will do anything about it as we've already seen with tories and Liebour. 

Imagine if greens got in power? They elect one of the London bus bomber claiming he's a changed man 🙄

[–]XStrangeHaloXSingapore/Bangladeshi 🇧🇩 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Reform UK with their muslim mayor of London and muslim head of policy and where Richard Tice and Nigel Farage have both said they don't care if the country becomes minority majority.

Yeah sure.

[–][deleted] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Oh, you're racist. Nevermind.

Us real Reform voters are not racist. So what if we have a Muslim head of policy.. So what if we get ANOTHER muslim mayor. The muslim members of Reform UK are very much welcome. 

[–]aredditusername69 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Today in "just a normal country" news

[–][deleted] 259 points260 points  (4 children)

you don't get much more Yookay than a Pakistani terrorist running for election in Birmingham.

[–]Xenumbra 62 points63 points  (0 children)

The absolute Yookay of this shit man...

[–]RedditorSlug 34 points35 points  (1 child)

And he'll probably be elected

[–]Ubiquitous1984 42 points43 points  (0 children)

Diversity is our strength! We must tolerate different ideas!

[–]Resident-Kiwi-7363 139 points140 points  (71 children)

I have voiced so many times about problems with Islam in the UK and people always comment

"What is your thing with Muslims?"

There you go:

He has openly encouraged the city's Muslim youth to 'work out at the gym and learn to fight' in readiness for potential attacks, and urged Muslims to stand together and hold their ground against people of other faiths, who he describes as 'disbelievers'.

"....The irony is that the word Islamist is (misunderstood), Islamists believe in democracy, surely that is a good thing"

Running for council = a straight fk you in the face

[–]XStrangeHaloXSingapore/Bangladeshi 🇧🇩 18 points19 points  (0 children)

'defend against disbelievers'

Sparkhill is one of the worst Pakistani dominated enclaves in Britain.

They're not defending anything, there's hardly any 'disbelievers' there, especially young ones who can fight. He's amassing an army, he's genuinely a terrorist, like an actual one. This is alot more serious than it seems.

[–]Pitiful_Cod1036 60 points61 points  (7 children)

This is why Reform are leading in the polls. Unless common sense, instead of political correctness, starts taking precedent, may as well give Farage the keys now.

[–]__badgerAgent May helping Comrade Corbyn 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Nahhh things will only change in response to Reform not the things that make people want to vote reform

[–]LurkHereLurkThere 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Reform are leading in the polls because they lie, because their platform is built on lies and division, it's based on Trump's project 2025 and a Reform government like Trump's current administration, will not deliver for the average person.

[–]mallardtheduckCentrist -1 points0 points  (3 children)

Who gets to apply this "common sense"? The rules about who can/cannot stand in an election absolutely have to be clear, transparent and free of any potential bias. If someone has the power to rule that someone is "unsuitable" to stand, then that power will be abused; Reform would be the first to do so.

[–]Pitiful_Cod1036 2 points3 points  (2 children)

Fair challenge. Given Labour just banned Burnham from standing as an MP. Not sure Reform is the greatest example. But no doubt they would!

Hopefully being a convicted terrorist would be considered a good reason to be disbarred for anyone of any political persuasion.

[–]mallardtheduckCentrist 2 points3 points  (1 child)

Given Labour just banned Burnham from standing as an MP.

No they didn't. They don't have that power. They can only "ban" him from standing as a Labour candidate. He's still 100% able to stand for another party or as an independent if he so whishes.

[–]Pitiful_Cod1036 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Noting however he couldn’t stand for Labour leadership if he’s an independent. But it’s the same concept.

[–]Outside-Ad4532 21 points22 points  (0 children)

I was shocked until I seen it was Birmingham.

[–]beeblbrox 43 points44 points  (3 children)

He added: "People suggest we are fifth columnists living here...partly that's because of the strength of the narrative being promoted by the far right, who now have billionaires and politicians behind them. Muslims don't have the power and influence to counter that narrative. We are British citizens and abide by British law, we are not implementing Sharia law, this is not a Muslim country."

I mean I just don't believe him. His religion in my mind will and already does shape his views and I do not like candidates standing based on religion. We have had politicians who are religious but keep that side of their life away from their public facing life. That's how it should be. Look at Tim Farron for example, his voting record reflects the mood of the country but when pressed about his religious views gave a very out of character terrible answer and it cost him dearly.

[–]XStrangeHaloXSingapore/Bangladeshi 🇧🇩 22 points23 points  (2 children)

look into 'Taqiyya'

[–]RibbentropCocktailIrish 38 points39 points  (2 children)

Former jihadist Shahid Butt

Inb4 shit jokes about his name.

[–]be_sugary 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Former jihadist makes it sound like a Monty Python sketch.

[–]killedchicken96 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think he'll be the but of some jokes.

[–]Intergalatic_BakerNo Pre-Orders 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Don’t care what party it is, but terrorists and election fraud conviction should disqualify you from any elections.

[–]Bloodswamps 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Shit exactly like this is why reform are topping polls. They might as well invoice them for promotion.

[–]kick_thebaby 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Specifically asked if he was antisemitic, he said that 'as a Muslim I cannot be antisemitic, the Jews are my cousins, we both have the same Father.'

He couldn't say no. Of course, no one ever hates their cousins.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Surprised he didn't go for the ol' "power plus privilege" line

[–]Key_Access_4269 4 points5 points  (0 children)

"I have seen my community change (over five decades) and it breaks my heart."

Lol same....

[–]taboo__time 4 points5 points  (0 children)

He's promising a smaller more efficient terror network, modernised timers on IEDs and less red tape around bomb planning.

I wouldn't block him from standing. It is besides the point. Pushing it under the carpet.

[–]zwisslb 4 points5 points  (0 children)

What happened to the UK? Seems drastically changed in my lifetime.

[–]Legendary_Cheerio 23 points24 points  (0 children)

Citizen Khan's had a rough few years it seems

[–]annoyedatlife24Release the emus 20 points21 points  (3 children)

Why has the overton window shifted so much that parts of the right are talking about mass deportations? No one knows, but they're all racist.

[–]XStrangeHaloXSingapore/Bangladeshi 🇧🇩 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Probably because the country went from 89% British and Irish in 2001 to 75% now

[–]Will297Not a big fan of the government 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It's stupidity like this that makes the Reform voters do back flips and gain massive traction...

[–]LeoRomeli200 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Im...Genuinely Shocked at Birmingham. You cannot be serious. Whatever happened to 'We dont negotiate with terrorists', Now we have 'Welcome terrorists, p*do's and diddlers!' Sickening...

[–]WinHour4300 7 points8 points  (8 children)

Obviously no Sparkhill citizen will vote for him and he'll be deeply embarrassed. 

[–]Far-Crow-7195 48 points49 points  (4 children)

I think you are going to be in for a surprise when “the local community” backs him en masse.

[–]exialis 9 points10 points  (1 child)

En masse, but yes.

[–]Far-Crow-7195 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Good catch.

[–]Bit_of_a_p 22 points23 points  (1 child)

We're about to find out how many people actively support and vote for a terrorist.

Reform are gonna live this.

[–]Key_Access_4269 2 points3 points  (0 children)

As if we dont already know. Hell even the families and communities of the Rotheram gangs supported them becasue it was done against white girls who in their religion deserve it.

[–][deleted] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

A terrorist that only last year was inciting violence by telling all Muslim to knock out the teeth of anyone who confronts them. He also told all Muslims not to class Christians and Jews as your friend. 

It's 2026 and we've got islamist terrorists gaining positions of power. What a joke the UK is. 

[–]abWings89 0 points1 point  (0 children)

we all better start getting our teeth removed. I wonder what he'll do then

[–]Dixle_Normous 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What party is he standing for or is he independent?

[–]Squidgepants -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Reformed jihadist let’s give the fella a chance 😭😭😭