“My name is Sadiq Khan and I’m the mayor of London!”
May 7, 2016 4:39 PM Subscribe
Sadiq Khan, “a Labour Party leader, a former human rights lawyer and a son of a bus driver from Pakistan” has been elected Mayor of London with “the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history.”
Acceptance Speech. A March profile in The New Statesman.
His rival, Zac Goldsmith, “accused Khan of ‘pandering to extremists’.” In an op-ed in The Guardian on lessons learned during the campaign, Khan has referred to the Tories as ‘using tactics “straight out of the Donald Trump playbook.” They were also decried by the Tory-affiliated Conservative Muslim Forum.
Acceptance Speech. A March profile in The New Statesman.
His rival, Zac Goldsmith, “accused Khan of ‘pandering to extremists’.” In an op-ed in The Guardian on lessons learned during the campaign, Khan has referred to the Tories as ‘using tactics “straight out of the Donald Trump playbook.” They were also decried by the Tory-affiliated Conservative Muslim Forum.
I wrote a bit about this in my blog.
It must suck to be Goldsmith, who I gather started out well-meaning but got corrupted by the prospect of power and/or being too weak in character to say no to the directives from head office instructing him to play dirty. His reputation is pretty much ruined, though examples must be made, especially given the harm done by his actions to young British Muslims contemplating participation in civil society. I guess the moral of this story is: if you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
posted by acb at 4:53 PM on May 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
It must suck to be Goldsmith, who I gather started out well-meaning but got corrupted by the prospect of power and/or being too weak in character to say no to the directives from head office instructing him to play dirty. His reputation is pretty much ruined, though examples must be made, especially given the harm done by his actions to young British Muslims contemplating participation in civil society. I guess the moral of this story is: if you lay down with dogs, you get up with fleas.
posted by acb at 4:53 PM on May 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
He got a phone call from Buckingham Palace saying "Since you're going to be sworn in as a Privy Councillor in front of the Queen, what bible do you want to use?". He replied "I'm a Muslim, I'll swear on the Koran".
"We don't have one of those, can you bring your own?"
He did, and said "Afterwards, they returned it to me. I said - no need, keep it for the next person."
Also, a bunch of the usual bigots started a #LondonHasFallen hashtag on Twitter, saying more-or-less vile things about how Sharia law is coming, how the progressive left have let in the Caliphate and far worse. it was quite swiftly taken over by '#LondonHasFallen in love with unity and tolerance' and the like, so do go and have a gander if you want to see quality trolling.
posted by Devonian at 4:53 PM on May 7, 2016 [81 favorites]
"We don't have one of those, can you bring your own?"
He did, and said "Afterwards, they returned it to me. I said - no need, keep it for the next person."
Also, a bunch of the usual bigots started a #LondonHasFallen hashtag on Twitter, saying more-or-less vile things about how Sharia law is coming, how the progressive left have let in the Caliphate and far worse. it was quite swiftly taken over by '#LondonHasFallen in love with unity and tolerance' and the like, so do go and have a gander if you want to see quality trolling.
posted by Devonian at 4:53 PM on May 7, 2016 [81 favorites]
I grow increasingly concerned with the ability of certain segments of the white population to integrate successfully with modernity.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 4:57 PM on May 7, 2016 [126 favorites]
posted by [expletive deleted] at 4:57 PM on May 7, 2016 [126 favorites]
Is this that City of London thing that keeps tripping me up?
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:03 PM on May 7, 2016
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:03 PM on May 7, 2016
Order-order.com (Guido Fawkes): Zac's Best Bits
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:03 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Joe in Australia at 5:03 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Is this that City of London thing that keeps tripping me up?
No, this is Greater London. The City has the Lord Mayor, who is elected by the corporate tenants, each having votes in proportion to either global or local headcount (I can't remember which). The handful of humans who live in the Square Mile also get votes, but their votes are largely irrelevant to the result.
The Lord Mayor's remit is largely confined to the Square Mile and the City's various holdings beyond it (like various parks), which is a lot less than the Mayor of London's, covering all of Greater London (and a bit beyond; Transport For London, which answers to the Mayor, is now trying to negotiate control of rail franchises extending from London to its environs)
posted by acb at 5:06 PM on May 7, 2016 [15 favorites]
No, this is Greater London. The City has the Lord Mayor, who is elected by the corporate tenants, each having votes in proportion to either global or local headcount (I can't remember which). The handful of humans who live in the Square Mile also get votes, but their votes are largely irrelevant to the result.
The Lord Mayor's remit is largely confined to the Square Mile and the City's various holdings beyond it (like various parks), which is a lot less than the Mayor of London's, covering all of Greater London (and a bit beyond; Transport For London, which answers to the Mayor, is now trying to negotiate control of rail franchises extending from London to its environs)
posted by acb at 5:06 PM on May 7, 2016 [15 favorites]
Ah, that makes more sense.
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:07 PM on May 7, 2016
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:07 PM on May 7, 2016
I say, thank God London now has a Mayor who wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth, who knows what it's like to live a normal (nonprivileged) life and work for everything he's got. I didn't know people like him existed in politics any more.
posted by tel3path at 5:13 PM on May 7, 2016 [12 favorites]
posted by tel3path at 5:13 PM on May 7, 2016 [12 favorites]
On the other hand, the Lord Mayor does have a much better hat.
posted by strangely stunted trees at 5:15 PM on May 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by strangely stunted trees at 5:15 PM on May 7, 2016 [3 favorites]
The Lord Mayor of London wears a much sillier hat and mostly a PR ambassador for doing business in the City (the square-mile financial district city). (He's important, but he's largely ceremonial.) The Mayor of London is the guy who's in charge of the actual governance of greater London and can levy taxes and things like that.
The Mayor of London is a politician; the Lord Mayor is an esteemed corporate flack. (I mean literally, they're usually well-respected members of their professions.) But yeah, sillier hat.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:16 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
The Mayor of London is a politician; the Lord Mayor is an esteemed corporate flack. (I mean literally, they're usually well-respected members of their professions.) But yeah, sillier hat.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 5:16 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
For those like me who have waited until now to try to get up to speed on this, the NYT article in the second link appears to be at least trying to fill that need.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:17 PM on May 7, 2016
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 5:17 PM on May 7, 2016
The second link starts with "A Labour Party leader...
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:24 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by ChurchHatesTucker at 5:24 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
“the largest personal mandate of any politician in UK history.”
This is an interesting but not-quite-revealing-in-that-way fact. It tells us far more about how UK elections and governance mesh than about the popularity of Khan. As there are no elections for the head of state, and the Prime Minister is chosen (effectively) by the House of Commons, there is little in the way of direct mandate for individual politicians. The nearest we get are directly-elected mayors and police and crime commissioners, but both are relatively new and PCC elections suffer from low turnout. Given also that metropolitan areas are poorly coherent in local government terms, most existing directly-elected mayors have relatively small constituencies.
London is the one* place where directly-elected mayors and a metropolitan area converge (there is no PCC election in London). Thus the London mayoral election is the biggest single-candidate election in the UK. The previous record holder of 'largest personal mandate' would have been Boris Johnson, so make of that record what you will.
*There will be more directly-elected mayors of metropolitan areas in 2017, though none will have electorates as big as London.
posted by Emma May Smith at 5:35 PM on May 7, 2016 [16 favorites]
This is an interesting but not-quite-revealing-in-that-way fact. It tells us far more about how UK elections and governance mesh than about the popularity of Khan. As there are no elections for the head of state, and the Prime Minister is chosen (effectively) by the House of Commons, there is little in the way of direct mandate for individual politicians. The nearest we get are directly-elected mayors and police and crime commissioners, but both are relatively new and PCC elections suffer from low turnout. Given also that metropolitan areas are poorly coherent in local government terms, most existing directly-elected mayors have relatively small constituencies.
London is the one* place where directly-elected mayors and a metropolitan area converge (there is no PCC election in London). Thus the London mayoral election is the biggest single-candidate election in the UK. The previous record holder of 'largest personal mandate' would have been Boris Johnson, so make of that record what you will.
*There will be more directly-elected mayors of metropolitan areas in 2017, though none will have electorates as big as London.
posted by Emma May Smith at 5:35 PM on May 7, 2016 [16 favorites]
Roger Evans, the outgoing deputy mayor, said Goldsmith’s “very foolish” campaign left a “negative legacy which we in London are going to have to clear up long after the people who ran Zac Goldsmith’s campaign have gone on their way”.
Andrew Boff, a senior Tory on the London assembly, said: “I hope we don’t do this stupid thing again by trying to bring Sadiq down by saying he is an extremist. He is not an extremist. He went out and engaged with people with orthodox religious views. Dialogue is not assisted by shutting people out.”
I won't hold my breath for any similar self-reflection from the Republicans, if they lose the election in November. I expect a doubling-down.
posted by sbutler at 5:40 PM on May 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
Andrew Boff, a senior Tory on the London assembly, said: “I hope we don’t do this stupid thing again by trying to bring Sadiq down by saying he is an extremist. He is not an extremist. He went out and engaged with people with orthodox religious views. Dialogue is not assisted by shutting people out.”
I won't hold my breath for any similar self-reflection from the Republicans, if they lose the election in November. I expect a doubling-down.
posted by sbutler at 5:40 PM on May 7, 2016 [11 favorites]
On the other hand, the Lord Mayor does have a much better hat.
And gets around in an ornate wooden carriage drawn by a team of horses. (When not in use, the carriage sits in the Museum of London, harnessed to a team of fibreglass horses.)
posted by acb at 5:41 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
And gets around in an ornate wooden carriage drawn by a team of horses. (When not in use, the carriage sits in the Museum of London, harnessed to a team of fibreglass horses.)
posted by acb at 5:41 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
This is an interesting but not-quite-revealing-in-that-way fact.
The mayoral election also uses a somewhat unusual electoral system, and the final number are from a second count; he didn't reach a majority in the first step.
posted by effbot at 5:47 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
The mayoral election also uses a somewhat unusual electoral system, and the final number are from a second count; he didn't reach a majority in the first step.
posted by effbot at 5:47 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]
Should have asked those of us in Canada's conservative heartland what our experience has been with Muslim mayors (answer: kind of awesome). Bonus: Hizzoner weighs in on the London election (and on Tinder profile photos).
posted by hangashore at 5:49 PM on May 7, 2016 [9 favorites]
posted by hangashore at 5:49 PM on May 7, 2016 [9 favorites]
The comments on the NYT article are shocking. I know, don't read the comments, but I thought at least the NYT would be slightly more sensible.
A lot of commenters have obviously never heard of Sadiq Khan before this, but a fair few of those seem convinced he is about to impose Sharia law, or that some sort of nefarious plot to destroy Western Civilization is now unfolding.
posted by maggiemaggie at 5:54 PM on May 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
A lot of commenters have obviously never heard of Sadiq Khan before this, but a fair few of those seem convinced he is about to impose Sharia law, or that some sort of nefarious plot to destroy Western Civilization is now unfolding.
posted by maggiemaggie at 5:54 PM on May 7, 2016 [2 favorites]
He also seems to be sane, honest and up for the job, which is good. Boris did not enjoy the job, by all accounts, because it was hard work and detail-focussed and distracted from his main ambition of promoting himself. Boris' predecessor, Ken Livingstone, did enjoy it because it let him reclaim some of the power he'd had as leader of the Greater London Council until Thatcher disbanded it, and he was a good fit for London. But he's gone mad-uncle recently.
I'm no longer a Londoner, but spent the best part of thirty years there. I think a leftish Muslim mayor is absolutely perfect for where the place is at now, especially one elected against a nasty right-wing campaign of fear and smear. London is many things, but it has a good sense that reality has a liberal bias, and it's comfortable with that.
posted by Devonian at 5:57 PM on May 7, 2016 [26 favorites]
I'm no longer a Londoner, but spent the best part of thirty years there. I think a leftish Muslim mayor is absolutely perfect for where the place is at now, especially one elected against a nasty right-wing campaign of fear and smear. London is many things, but it has a good sense that reality has a liberal bias, and it's comfortable with that.
posted by Devonian at 5:57 PM on May 7, 2016 [26 favorites]
Mod note: If you would like to talk about American politics we have many fine threads where you may engage in that behavior. But this is not one of them!
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:09 PM on May 7, 2016 [36 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee (staff) at 6:09 PM on May 7, 2016 [36 favorites]
Some of the satire from the #LondonIsFallen Twitter hashtag that Devonian mentioned is wonderful fun.
"We don't want multiculturalism. Keep our Celtic-Roman-Angle-Saxon-Viking-French blood pure."
"I'm planning to enforce sharia in my street after I've mown the lawn and had a cup of tea."
It's barely been a day and already the Queen is wearing a hijab
"#LondonHasFallen but the terror doesn't end here. Yorkshire is the real target and we're coming so hide your sheep."
posted by clawsoon at 6:40 PM on May 7, 2016 [27 favorites]
"We don't want multiculturalism. Keep our Celtic-Roman-Angle-Saxon-Viking-French blood pure."
"I'm planning to enforce sharia in my street after I've mown the lawn and had a cup of tea."
It's barely been a day and already the Queen is wearing a hijab
"#LondonHasFallen but the terror doesn't end here. Yorkshire is the real target and we're coming so hide your sheep."
posted by clawsoon at 6:40 PM on May 7, 2016 [27 favorites]
The discussion related to that tweet above about the Queen made me consider an interesting fact: when she was born, her father was the monarch of over half the world's Muslims, and by population, ruled the largest Muslim empire in history.
posted by [expletive deleted] at 7:40 PM on May 7, 2016 [40 favorites]
posted by [expletive deleted] at 7:40 PM on May 7, 2016 [40 favorites]
I was very relieved when Khan got in after that appalling Tory campaign. After the general election I was paranoid that the polls would be wrong again.
The worst thing about the campaign I thought was writing to everyone with Hindu names warning them not to vote for Khan. If there's one thing the twenty-first century doesn't need its more religious and community tension. That on its own should have disqualified Zac Goldsmith from being mayor of a huge multicultural city: he's willing to risk harming it in order to gain power over it.
However, I'm not expecting that much from Khan since the London mayor has very little power compared with the mayors of most large cities.
Daily Mash satire: Zac Goldsmith has lavish, multi-million pound tantrum.
Peter Oborne non-satire: "Goldsmith's campaign for mayor has become the most repulsive I have ever seen as a political reporter".
posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:01 AM on May 8, 2016 [6 favorites]
The worst thing about the campaign I thought was writing to everyone with Hindu names warning them not to vote for Khan. If there's one thing the twenty-first century doesn't need its more religious and community tension. That on its own should have disqualified Zac Goldsmith from being mayor of a huge multicultural city: he's willing to risk harming it in order to gain power over it.
However, I'm not expecting that much from Khan since the London mayor has very little power compared with the mayors of most large cities.
Daily Mash satire: Zac Goldsmith has lavish, multi-million pound tantrum.
Peter Oborne non-satire: "Goldsmith's campaign for mayor has become the most repulsive I have ever seen as a political reporter".
posted by TheophileEscargot at 12:01 AM on May 8, 2016 [6 favorites]
I think it's appropriate to celebrate the arrival of a Muslim mayor as a sign of diversity, but we should resist the temptation to make too much fuss about it. The real positive point is that the London electorate didn't care.
I'd like to think the campaign has damaged Goldsmith's career irreparably.
posted by Segundus at 12:03 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
I'd like to think the campaign has damaged Goldsmith's career irreparably.
posted by Segundus at 12:03 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
Never mind all the religion stuff - at long last we have a mayor from south of the river!
posted by doop at 12:33 AM on May 8, 2016 [14 favorites]
posted by doop at 12:33 AM on May 8, 2016 [14 favorites]
Dick Whittington in the 21st century.
Love this story, hooray for Sadiq Khan. May this indeed be the first step to a whole new future.
disgust at Cameron et al for daring to create divide between Hindus and Muslims as though there's no memory of The Partition. Ugly. Yet classic British divide and conquer strategy. I'll stop here
posted by infini at 12:35 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
Love this story, hooray for Sadiq Khan. May this indeed be the first step to a whole new future.
disgust at Cameron et al for daring to create divide between Hindus and Muslims as though there's no memory of The Partition. Ugly. Yet classic British divide and conquer strategy. I'll stop here
posted by infini at 12:35 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
Also, a bunch of the usual bigots started a #LondonHasFallen hashtag on Twitter
Also the London Evening Standard. They ran it as a front page headline.
Britain!
posted by Dysk at 2:07 AM on May 8, 2016
Also the London Evening Standard. They ran it as a front page headline.
Britain!
posted by Dysk at 2:07 AM on May 8, 2016
thank God London now has a Mayor who wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth, who knows what it's like to live a normal (nonprivileged) life
We live in Clapham and my husband sees him often at the Balham Nandos. I never recognise him because he's usually dressed like a dad running errands.
posted by like_neon at 2:59 AM on May 8, 2016 [8 favorites]
We live in Clapham and my husband sees him often at the Balham Nandos. I never recognise him because he's usually dressed like a dad running errands.
posted by like_neon at 2:59 AM on May 8, 2016 [8 favorites]
Cheeky.
posted by Molesome at 3:03 AM on May 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
posted by Molesome at 3:03 AM on May 8, 2016 [4 favorites]
Also the London Evening Standard. They ran it as a front page headline.
I think you are referring to the fake front page that was circulating on social media. Their actual headline was "boaty mcboatface sunk by David Attenborough" and there was no reference to the mayoral result at all.
posted by knapah at 3:34 AM on May 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
I think you are referring to the fake front page that was circulating on social media. Their actual headline was "boaty mcboatface sunk by David Attenborough" and there was no reference to the mayoral result at all.
posted by knapah at 3:34 AM on May 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
There was a tiny little box on the right-hand-side of the page. In other news.
And no doubt Laura Kuenssen-wotsit has been talking at great length about how this is a major blow for Jeremy Corbyn.
They don't even try any more.
posted by Grangousier at 3:36 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
And no doubt Laura Kuenssen-wotsit has been talking at great length about how this is a major blow for Jeremy Corbyn.
They don't even try any more.
posted by Grangousier at 3:36 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
Infini wrote: Nuanced opinion
Yeah, I remember a lot of that stuff from posts on Harry's Place mostly. It didn't just appear out of the blue when he was running for mayor. I have the feeling that a lot of politicians have things like this: encounters with rabid clerics that they've just gone along with, letters of support for people facing a bail hearing, talks given to local groups with unsavory connections. It's always easier to go along and it doesn't seem important at the time, but ten years later someone makes a list and it turns out that you've addressed the League of Wifebashers seventeen times, asked for executive clemency for the Mad Bomber of Walthamstow, and everyone in your high school reunion photo has joined ISIS - except you.
I have a certain amount of sympathy for people who are morally weak (e.g., me) and heaven knows that we don't want to block off the paths to becoming a better person. I don't think Sadiq Khan has been equivocating about having moved into the light; Maajid Nawaz says that his former ... associates ... think Khan's become a squishy; I'm prepared to accept his redemption narrative. It's certainly a lot better than the reaction of some other politicians, who basically denied that any of their associates, ever, could have been the slightest bit hateful.
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:03 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
Yeah, I remember a lot of that stuff from posts on Harry's Place mostly. It didn't just appear out of the blue when he was running for mayor. I have the feeling that a lot of politicians have things like this: encounters with rabid clerics that they've just gone along with, letters of support for people facing a bail hearing, talks given to local groups with unsavory connections. It's always easier to go along and it doesn't seem important at the time, but ten years later someone makes a list and it turns out that you've addressed the League of Wifebashers seventeen times, asked for executive clemency for the Mad Bomber of Walthamstow, and everyone in your high school reunion photo has joined ISIS - except you.
I have a certain amount of sympathy for people who are morally weak (e.g., me) and heaven knows that we don't want to block off the paths to becoming a better person. I don't think Sadiq Khan has been equivocating about having moved into the light; Maajid Nawaz says that his former ... associates ... think Khan's become a squishy; I'm prepared to accept his redemption narrative. It's certainly a lot better than the reaction of some other politicians, who basically denied that any of their associates, ever, could have been the slightest bit hateful.
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:03 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
.
Despite my caveat above, Sadiq's election means a lot to an awful lot of people. Pakistani human rights activist Khurram Zaki posted this around nineteen hours ago, shortly before he was murdered, apparently by Islamists:
Despite my caveat above, Sadiq's election means a lot to an awful lot of people. Pakistani human rights activist Khurram Zaki posted this around nineteen hours ago, shortly before he was murdered, apparently by Islamists:
"Sadiq Khan is not a Pakistani. He is a Britisher. Credit for his rise and success goes to his own hard work and the equal opportunity quality of the British system. Pakistan and Islam have played no role in his meteoric rise. And he has proved for all British Muslims and Brits of other ethnicities that anyone who blames that system as biased and discriminatory that they are lazy and liars.posted by Joe in Australia at 4:30 AM on May 8, 2016 [10 favorites]
I am celebrating the greatness of Western Secular Democracy. In this day and age of Takfiri Deobandi/Wahabi terrorism and Islamophobia, London has risen above discrimination and bigotry and emerged as great centre of human civilisation setting a great example for the world. Can we ever elect an Ahmadi or Hindu or Christian PM? Forget that, we have deprived all legal powers and discretions of a democratically elected Mayor of the third largest city in the world (Karachi) on the basis of ethnicity.
And it's so stupid and shameful of us Pakistanis that we run down humiliate our own successes like Malala and Sharmeen."
The worst thing about the campaign I thought was writing to everyone with Hindu names warning them not to vote for Khan. If there's one thing the twenty-first century doesn't need its more religious and community tension. That on its own should have disqualified Zac Goldsmith from being mayor of a huge multicultural city: he's willing to risk harming it in order to gain power over it.
Yeah, there's a tension here between multiculturalism and liberalism. People should be seen as individuals and not members of communities, and obviously Goldsmith was playing to the latter. He saw the Hindu, the Muslim, the Sikh, the Jew, before he saw the person. He forgot that people don't belong in boxes and that classifying them according to that is truly destructive of liberal values. Community politics is a really bad idea that will simply lead to division and harm.
posted by Emma May Smith at 4:37 AM on May 8, 2016
Yeah, there's a tension here between multiculturalism and liberalism. People should be seen as individuals and not members of communities, and obviously Goldsmith was playing to the latter. He saw the Hindu, the Muslim, the Sikh, the Jew, before he saw the person. He forgot that people don't belong in boxes and that classifying them according to that is truly destructive of liberal values. Community politics is a really bad idea that will simply lead to division and harm.
posted by Emma May Smith at 4:37 AM on May 8, 2016
Although he was definitely not the best of the candidates, and wouldn't have made as good a mayor as Khan, I suspect (from what I know of his life) Goldsmith the individual isn't quite the racist Conservative Central Headquarters wanted right now, which would explain why he seemed to be increasingly zombie-like and detached from his own campaign as it went on. Now, of course, the Tories are happy to throw him under the bus, as they will anyone who's outlived their usefulness after a failed campaign (or even a successful one - Nick Clegg and the Labour party in Scotland will attest to that).
The campaign wasn't as much Trump as Lynton Crosby - even if he wasn't in charge (and I don't think he was), he obviously left a heavily annotated photocopy of his playbook behind. From the Wikipedia entry about him:
posted by Grangousier at 4:48 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
The campaign wasn't as much Trump as Lynton Crosby - even if he wasn't in charge (and I don't think he was), he obviously left a heavily annotated photocopy of his playbook behind. From the Wikipedia entry about him:
Crosby is described as favouring what is called a wedge strategy, whereby the party he advises introduces a divisive or controversial social issue into a campaign, aligning its own stance with the dissenting faction of its opponent party, with the goal of causing vitriolic debate inside the opposing party, defection of its supporters, and the legitimising of sentiment which had previously been considered inappropriate.Which is basically what happened over the last few weeks.
posted by Grangousier at 4:48 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
It garnered him a knighthood the day after, apparently.
Btw, fyi to those who might not be aware, Zac Goldsmith's sister was married to Pakistani rockstar cricketer Imran Khan. Seems she tweeted her surprise at this version of her brother.
posted by infini at 4:51 AM on May 8, 2016
Btw, fyi to those who might not be aware, Zac Goldsmith's sister was married to Pakistani rockstar cricketer Imran Khan. Seems she tweeted her surprise at this version of her brother.
posted by infini at 4:51 AM on May 8, 2016
Bwithh, I just came here to post that same article by Nawaz. Wow, he really tears into him. It would seem like Khan was playing the same kind of community politics as Goldsmith, just on a different level.
posted by Emma May Smith at 5:09 AM on May 8, 2016
posted by Emma May Smith at 5:09 AM on May 8, 2016
So how's London's far right taking this result, I hear you (fail to) ask? Jayda Fransen, deputy leader of the UK's dimmest political grouping, Britain First, seems genuinely perturbed. At least she's not harassing random Muslims in the street or yelling at Syrian refugees from a car, like in her other recent videos. [Link advisory: actual, honest to God fascists.]
posted by Sonny Jim at 5:37 AM on May 8, 2016
posted by Sonny Jim at 5:37 AM on May 8, 2016
I can't stand Maajid Nawaz. That is an awful article, full of allegations that he doesn't back up with evidence.
The whole Ahmedi hate campaign thing for example, there's no evidence at all that had anything to do with Sadiq. In fact, he condemned it. You can read an interview with him about it here.
He also seems to suggest that any association with Cage is problematic, which is nonsense.
I'll give him one thing though. He is an incredible self-promoter, who has leveraged his own history of islamic extremism into a very personally successful career - whether the activities of Quilliam etc are successful in actually countering extremism is much less clear.
posted by knapah at 5:38 AM on May 8, 2016 [5 favorites]
The whole Ahmedi hate campaign thing for example, there's no evidence at all that had anything to do with Sadiq. In fact, he condemned it. You can read an interview with him about it here.
He also seems to suggest that any association with Cage is problematic, which is nonsense.
I'll give him one thing though. He is an incredible self-promoter, who has leveraged his own history of islamic extremism into a very personally successful career - whether the activities of Quilliam etc are successful in actually countering extremism is much less clear.
posted by knapah at 5:38 AM on May 8, 2016 [5 favorites]
London map by surname and by 2016 voting
posted by IndigoJones at 5:43 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by IndigoJones at 5:43 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
I think you're right Grangousier. Goldsmith's whole career was being the nice Tory who cares about the environment (wasn't he a Green at one point?) and that was completely trashed by a campaign that he clearly didn't want anything to do with toward the end. That's the trouble with party politics I suppose. Careful of the company you keep.
Still unless there's a massive Lib Dem resurgence his seat is probably safe.
posted by Cassettevetes at 6:02 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
Still unless there's a massive Lib Dem resurgence his seat is probably safe.
posted by Cassettevetes at 6:02 AM on May 8, 2016 [2 favorites]
Vasisht’s daughters laughed at the letter: it seemed such a clumsy way to win votes. But the more she thought about it, the angrier Vasisht became. The implication was that she – and other British Asians – didn’t truly belong in Cameron’s Britain. “He talked of ‘your community’. No, David, you and I are members of the same community. It felt like my prime minister was writing to tell me he doesn’t consider he and I are part of the same community. Which is not very nice, is it?”"It's ugly and dangerous": The inside story of the battle to be London mayor (The Guardian, 30 April 2016).
posted by Sonny Jim at 6:27 AM on May 8, 2016 [11 favorites]
The campaign wasn't as much Trump as Lynton Crosby - even if he wasn't in charge (and I don't think he was), he obviously left a heavily annotated photocopy of his playbook behind.
Also note, The Crosby Race-Wedge Gambit was openly embraced by the conservative PM of Canada in last autumn's election, but didn't pan out very well for him.
posted by ovvl at 7:20 AM on May 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
Also note, The Crosby Race-Wedge Gambit was openly embraced by the conservative PM of Canada in last autumn's election, but didn't pan out very well for him.
posted by ovvl at 7:20 AM on May 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
If Goldsmith didn't like the campaign he could have told them to stop or he'd step aside. Or stop or he'd condemn his own ads in public. Or he could have publicly disassociated himself with the worst of it. Or he could have picked up the phone to Cameron and said call them off or I stand down and you have no candidate.
He was the candidate for Mayor of one of the world's biggest cities. If he doesn't have the bravery to be accountable for his own racist campaign, as if he's just some passenger, he shouldn't be near public office anyway.
He's not a child. He let this happen, and he needs to take the blame for it, not be excused because that nasty big Australian boy done it and ran away.
posted by reynir at 7:30 AM on May 8, 2016 [15 favorites]
He was the candidate for Mayor of one of the world's biggest cities. If he doesn't have the bravery to be accountable for his own racist campaign, as if he's just some passenger, he shouldn't be near public office anyway.
He's not a child. He let this happen, and he needs to take the blame for it, not be excused because that nasty big Australian boy done it and ran away.
posted by reynir at 7:30 AM on May 8, 2016 [15 favorites]
wasn't he a Green at one point?
His uncle gave him the Ecologist magazine as a present, and he edited it for 9 years.
Other interesting possible facts:
He may have decided to join the Conservatives and not Labour as he felt the latter were in hock to big business.
He may be worth £200-300M.
He may have been married to a car.
posted by biffa at 7:44 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
His uncle gave him the Ecologist magazine as a present, and he edited it for 9 years.
Other interesting possible facts:
He may have decided to join the Conservatives and not Labour as he felt the latter were in hock to big business.
He may be worth £200-300M.
He may have been married to a car.
posted by biffa at 7:44 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
And let's not even bring up those "why does he look so much like Princess Di?" rumours.
posted by Sonny Jim at 7:48 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by Sonny Jim at 7:48 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
And his dad almost brought Private Eye down in the seventies and achieved posthumous notoriety recently when a Charlie Rose interview resurfaced in which he basically foreshadowed the problems we've been living through ever since. And he was the model for the Terence Stamp character in Wall Street. I'm not saying the Goldsmiths aren't interesting, but I'm glad we've been spared this one as London Mayor, not least because the main thing he's demonstrated is how obedient to CCHQ he is.
(The interview is remarkable, by the way.)
posted by Grangousier at 8:02 AM on May 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
(The interview is remarkable, by the way.)
posted by Grangousier at 8:02 AM on May 8, 2016 [3 favorites]
The BNP/Britain First's candidate Paul Golding's reaction was the best focal point for hilarity and derision of fascism: he deliberately turned his back on Khan during the acceptance speech. At first people noted it looked like he was urinating on the back window, but my favourite comment was this:
I have to say the way that this victory has led to so much irony and good-natured mocking of intolerance is nothing but heartening.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 10:23 AM on May 8, 2016 [14 favorites]
Touching scene of tolerance and respect as Paul Golding turns to face Mecca as Sadiq Khan is declared London MayorAnd then people took the fact that Goldsmith and Golding stood together, and began mocking the worst of the Tory smears against Khan. "Zac's sharing a platform with an extremist!" etc.
I have to say the way that this victory has led to so much irony and good-natured mocking of intolerance is nothing but heartening.
posted by rum-soaked space hobo at 10:23 AM on May 8, 2016 [14 favorites]
The discussion related to that tweet above about the Queen made me consider an interesting fact: when she was born, her father was the monarch of over half the world's Muslims, and by population, ruled the largest Muslim empire in history.
Her grandfather (George V), actually, when she was born in 1926. Her father (George VI) became king in late 1936, after George V died and was briefly succeeded by Edward VIII, who abdicated after less than a year.
(But the point remains.)
posted by dhens at 11:49 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
Her grandfather (George V), actually, when she was born in 1926. Her father (George VI) became king in late 1936, after George V died and was briefly succeeded by Edward VIII, who abdicated after less than a year.
(But the point remains.)
posted by dhens at 11:49 AM on May 8, 2016 [1 favorite]
The BNP/Britain First's candidate Paul Golding's reaction was the best focal point for hilarity and derision of fascism ...It's reassuring in a way that the far right in this country is in the hands of such obviously incompetent morons, but the stupidity on show during Golding's "campaign" was just ... sad.
posted by Sonny Jim at 9:42 AM on May 9, 2016
"Sad!" surely, if you're taking cues from us Americans.
posted by Going To Maine at 9:55 AM on May 9, 2016
posted by Going To Maine at 9:55 AM on May 9, 2016
Please do not take cues from us Americans.
posted by maryr at 11:25 AM on May 9, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by maryr at 11:25 AM on May 9, 2016 [3 favorites]
A (slight) introduction of US Politics, from Maggie Haberman at the New York Times: “Donald Trump Says New London Mayor Could Be Exception to His Ban on Muslims”
posted by Going To Maine at 8:20 PM on May 9, 2016
posted by Going To Maine at 8:20 PM on May 9, 2016
Mohammed Amin: I’m a Conservative, and voted for Zac. But I was disgusted by his repeated, risible attempts to smear Khan.
posted by TheophileEscargot at 8:39 PM on May 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by TheophileEscargot at 8:39 PM on May 9, 2016 [2 favorites]
TheophileEscargot: That's really devastating. I hope the Conservatives (all parties, really) pay some attention to it.
posted by Joe in Australia at 11:50 PM on May 9, 2016
posted by Joe in Australia at 11:50 PM on May 9, 2016
I would really hope that everyone looks at the kind of language used.
This recent trend of describing people "Having links with" or "Sharing a platform with" is both monstrous and profoundly stupid.
In the case of Sadiq Khan his "Links with" extremists were often in his role of chair of the Muslim Council of Britain’s legal affairs committee. Saying that anyone who acts as defence lawyer for terrorists is suspicious because they "have links with" extremists is the same as saying that accused terrorists are not entitled to due process. That's a disaster! Everyone, no matter the crime they're accused of (and they are criminals, not combatants) must always be treated like any other accused. Access to defence, innocent until proven guilty.
A recent, direct, example of this. One of the candidates from the one of the racist parties works in a similar field to me, 8 of my colleagues have him as a connection on LinkedIn. I know for a fact that they don't share his views, but they are most certainly "Linked with". I mean, you're all "Linked with" me, so obviously every single one of you is responsible for my controversial views on what is and is not a hot dog!
I would bet everyone has at one time or another said something dumb, used a bad phrase that they didn't mean, or was taken the wrong way or was just stupid. I mean, that's not to say that you should write that shit off, but when you see people pointing at this one thing that Khan said once, after scouring his every public utterance and pointing at that and jumping up and down yelling "extremist", well it's very very dangerous.
I really think that we need to be very careful when we see people accused by one thing they've said, by "Sharing a platform with", by "Links with". When you see that, someone is pushing an agenda, and it undermines us all to go along with it.
That's why I was so pleased to see this campaign rejected so thoroughly.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 1:52 AM on May 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
This recent trend of describing people "Having links with" or "Sharing a platform with" is both monstrous and profoundly stupid.
In the case of Sadiq Khan his "Links with" extremists were often in his role of chair of the Muslim Council of Britain’s legal affairs committee. Saying that anyone who acts as defence lawyer for terrorists is suspicious because they "have links with" extremists is the same as saying that accused terrorists are not entitled to due process. That's a disaster! Everyone, no matter the crime they're accused of (and they are criminals, not combatants) must always be treated like any other accused. Access to defence, innocent until proven guilty.
A recent, direct, example of this. One of the candidates from the one of the racist parties works in a similar field to me, 8 of my colleagues have him as a connection on LinkedIn. I know for a fact that they don't share his views, but they are most certainly "Linked with". I mean, you're all "Linked with" me, so obviously every single one of you is responsible for my controversial views on what is and is not a hot dog!
I would bet everyone has at one time or another said something dumb, used a bad phrase that they didn't mean, or was taken the wrong way or was just stupid. I mean, that's not to say that you should write that shit off, but when you see people pointing at this one thing that Khan said once, after scouring his every public utterance and pointing at that and jumping up and down yelling "extremist", well it's very very dangerous.
I really think that we need to be very careful when we see people accused by one thing they've said, by "Sharing a platform with", by "Links with". When you see that, someone is pushing an agenda, and it undermines us all to go along with it.
That's why I was so pleased to see this campaign rejected so thoroughly.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 1:52 AM on May 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
Yes, that's why the Twitter quip mentioned above is actually right on the money. It's undeniable that all candidates in this election have "shared a platform with extremists": they've appeared at speaking engagements alongside former National Front member and extreme rightist Paul Golding and BNP activist David Furness. So why don't we suspect white British candidates like Goldsmith or Berry or Walker of "having links with" white supremacist groups on that basis?
The strategy is a pretty naked ad hominem/guilt by association tactic, one calculated to exploit people's fears of "those people" and "those communities," and I too was delighted to see it fail last week.
posted by Sonny Jim at 2:06 AM on May 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
The strategy is a pretty naked ad hominem/guilt by association tactic, one calculated to exploit people's fears of "those people" and "those communities," and I too was delighted to see it fail last week.
posted by Sonny Jim at 2:06 AM on May 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
In the case of Sadiq Khan his "Links with" extremists were often in his role of chair of the Muslim Council of Britain’s legal affairs committee.
? Being on a legal affairs committee isn't the same sort of thing as being a lawyer in general practice. Lawyers in general practice theoretically work on the taxi-cab principle of representing clients without subscribing to their beliefs. The MCB is an organisation with particular views (e.g., that Ahmadis are not "real Muslims") and I can't imagine any of its staff would have disavowed them. In contrast, a private lawyer would be free to say something like "my client's views on homosexuality are abhorrent, but this is not what he's on trial for ..."
I don't know at what times Khan was a member of the MCB, but here's a description of it:
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:45 AM on May 10, 2016
? Being on a legal affairs committee isn't the same sort of thing as being a lawyer in general practice. Lawyers in general practice theoretically work on the taxi-cab principle of representing clients without subscribing to their beliefs. The MCB is an organisation with particular views (e.g., that Ahmadis are not "real Muslims") and I can't imagine any of its staff would have disavowed them. In contrast, a private lawyer would be free to say something like "my client's views on homosexuality are abhorrent, but this is not what he's on trial for ..."
I don't know at what times Khan was a member of the MCB, but here's a description of it:
It is time that the spotlight fell on the Muslim Association of Britain, particularly the key figures, such as Azzam Tamimi, Kamal el Helbawy, Anas Al-Tikriti and Mohammed Sawalha. All of them are connected to the terrorist organisation Hamas. The Muslim Association of Britain itself is a branch of the Muslim Brotherhood—an extremist fundamentalist organisation founded in Egypt in 1928, and the spiritual ideologue of all Islamic terror organisations. It is militantly anti-Semitic and always has been.That's from one of Khan's colleagues, Louise Ellman, in a speech before Parliament in 2003. Six years later, in 2009, the (Labour) UK government cut off ties with the MCB over its support for terrorism against Britain and Jewish communities, particularly its support for the Istanbul Declaration. Maybe the MCB has reformed itself since then; Khan reportedly has, so good luck to him.
posted by Joe in Australia at 2:45 AM on May 10, 2016
A reasonable point about the specific differences in legal roles, I don't know enough specifics in this regard. I was more thinking about his work as a human rights lawyer about which he (rightly) said “Even the worst people deserve a legal defence.” but my broader point still stands.
Guilt by association and the litany of other racist political tactics used in this election should be challenged at all turns.
Smears and innuendo are not fellow travellers in the fight against genuine racism and discrimination.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:47 AM on May 10, 2016
Guilt by association and the litany of other racist political tactics used in this election should be challenged at all turns.
Smears and innuendo are not fellow travellers in the fight against genuine racism and discrimination.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 3:47 AM on May 10, 2016
Yeah, I am totally not defending the Conservatives' tactics at all. I've seen a couple of reports (e.g.) that they did religiously-targeted mailouts in an attempt to get people to vote along religious lines. And I read an interview with someone in the Jewish religious establishment where he's basically repeating over and over that he has no problem with Khan, seems a very nice person, like him a lot, his religion should certainly not be a factor influencing anyone's vote, worried about Labour, yes, but Khan seems jolly nice, worked hard to get where he is, should probably reiterate that Khan seems very nice...
I suspect there's a backstory there and that it's not flattering to the Conservative party.
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:23 AM on May 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
I suspect there's a backstory there and that it's not flattering to the Conservative party.
posted by Joe in Australia at 4:23 AM on May 10, 2016 [1 favorite]
Yeah, there's considerably more on the religiously targeted letters in the Guardian article from 30 April that I linked to above.
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:43 AM on May 10, 2016
posted by Sonny Jim at 4:43 AM on May 10, 2016
Joe, you seem to conflate the Muslim Council of Britain and the Muslim Association of Britain in your comment. As far as I know they're different.
Here is an MCB statement on the Ahmadi community.
"The MCB fully subscribes to pluralism and peaceful coexistence and acknowledges the rights of all to believe as they choose without coercion, fear and intimidation.
We affirm the right of Ahmadis to their freedom of belief and reject any attacks on their property or persons. They have the right to live free from discrimination or persecution. The targeting of Ahmadis for their beliefs is totally unacceptable."
posted by knapah at 10:40 AM on May 10, 2016 [2 favorites]
Here is an MCB statement on the Ahmadi community.
"The MCB fully subscribes to pluralism and peaceful coexistence and acknowledges the rights of all to believe as they choose without coercion, fear and intimidation.
We affirm the right of Ahmadis to their freedom of belief and reject any attacks on their property or persons. They have the right to live free from discrimination or persecution. The targeting of Ahmadis for their beliefs is totally unacceptable."
posted by knapah at 10:40 AM on May 10, 2016 [2 favorites]
> A (slight) introduction of US Politics, from Maggie Haberman at the New York Times: “Donald Trump Says New London Mayor Could Be Exception to His Ban on Muslims
Sadiq Khan: I don't want exemption from 'ignorant' Trump's Muslim ban. London mayor says presidential hopeful’s policy to ban Muslims from entering the US ‘isn’t just about me’
posted by homunculus at 1:40 PM on May 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
Sadiq Khan: I don't want exemption from 'ignorant' Trump's Muslim ban. London mayor says presidential hopeful’s policy to ban Muslims from entering the US ‘isn’t just about me’
posted by homunculus at 1:40 PM on May 10, 2016 [4 favorites]
Khan's first official engagement was at a Holocaust Memorial Day event. I can only interpret that as a giant
Anyway, now this: New London Mayor Sadiq Khan says he plans to lead trade delegation to Israel
Did I say a
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:34 PM on May 11, 2016
fsck youto Islamists, who vacillate between "it never happened", "it should have happened", and "the Jews deserved it."
Anyway, now this: New London Mayor Sadiq Khan says he plans to lead trade delegation to Israel
Did I say a
? Maybe it's really directed at Corbyn ...fsck youto Islamists
posted by Joe in Australia at 6:34 PM on May 11, 2016
« Older "...we think a detachable penis is for the best.” | Never laugh at live dragons? Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:46 PM on May 7, 2016 [1 favorite]