Flogged for driving a car

We may have all heard of the Arab Spring, but what about the Arab Women Driver's Spring?
It may be hard to believe, but in Saudi Arabia, women are not allowed to drive cars - and can be flogged for doing so.
As recent news reports state, far from making moves towards reform, the new Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Nayef Bin Abdulaziz, is allegedly more hard-line on this issue, than even the reigning monarch. Saudi Clerics have even described allowing women to drive is the same as encouraging promiscuity.
Earlier in the year - fifty brave women braved the threats of severe punishment, got in their cars and drove around the capital. One woman, Shamia Jastinaya, has been sentenced to a flogging for breaking the driving ban on repeated occasions.
I have written before on my blog that freedom means more than just having parliamentary elections: Real liberty is about the rule of law, property rights and equality towards women.
Judging by it's extreme Islamist position on women drivers, Saudi ArabIa remains a country in an authoritarian backwater.
P.S. You can read more about this in yesterday's Times - behind the paywall or or here in The Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/8930168/Allowing-women-drivers-in-Saudi-Arabia-will-be-end-of-virginity.html

Democracy go to hell

On a special day in which the free world remembered one of the most barbaric single acts of murder in history, this is how extreme Islamists chose to commemorate the anniversary of the tragic events of 9/11. They did it outside the US Embassy, in Grosvenor Square, as the Commemoration Service was taking place. They shout 'democracy go to hell'.

Apart from being sickened, no further comment is needed.

You can read more HERE.

SOAS and the Middle East

Following my Freedom of Information request, today I had a Commons Motion published about the alleged links between the London School of Oriental and African Studies and the Saudis. The University allegedly has a number of other questionable relations with some individuals of some controversy. I have written to the Vice Chancellor for an explanation.

More details are below from the hard-hitting Student Rights organisation:
***
(You can download the full report HERE)

Student Rights Press Release:

Our latest report uncovers the links with the Saudi Arabian Regime which has resulted in SOAS directly receiving £755,000 from the Saudi Arabian Royal family. Further scandals are also uncovered by this report.
The briefing unveils the fact that SOAS provided Mutassim Gaddafi, the National Security Advisor to the Murderous Gaddafi regime, with private English tutoring and that an agreement between SOAS and Al-Fateh University in Tripoli was signed just months before the uprisings began in Libya.

Perhaps the most shocking revelation is that Yusuf al-Qaradawi, a cleric who is banned from the UK and US for endorsing suicide bombings and the killing of pregnant women, is on the editorial board of the SOAS journal of Quranic Studies. Al-Qaradawi has in addition been condemned by over 2,500 Muslim scholars worldwide.

An article on our report has been written by The Jewish Chronicle and the brief is also the subject of a new Early Day Motion proposed by Robert Halfon MP.
***
This is the response from SOAS:
On the issue of Sheikh Al-Qaradawi's membership of the editorial board of a journal hosted by SOAS, it said:

"Professor Yusuf al-Qaradawi and some other editorial advisers from the Middle East only advise on the Arabic section of the Journal, and not on the English section. His academic peers and Muslim scholars in the UK and across the globe consider him to be one of the most outstanding scholars of the Quran in the Arabic and Islamic world. No political or other consideration was involved in asking him to be on the board."

P.S. You can read and see more at the Harry's Place website HERE.

Online with the Sunday Times

I was asked today to do an Online Question and answer session for The Sunday Times.  From 1015 to 1130, readers were invited to pose any question of their choosing, which I then had to respond to via a live internet chat. I had no knowledge of the questions in advance, so it was pretty spontaneous. The questions are below, or you can view them behind The Sunday Times Paywall HERE:

ST Newsroom
Coming on at 10.15 we have Robert Halfon, Conservative MP for Harlow, taking your questions on anything politics related.
Robert has been the MP for Harlow since 2010. He is known for his support for Israel, and is also an advocate of an internet bill of rights.

10:17
Rian
Hi Robert, another coalition pr gaffe this week with Nick Clegg forgetting he was in charge. This after the controversy the week before over the selling of internships. Is it harder to manage PR for a coalition government? Or are they just not very good at it?
Robert Halfon
Well, we can focus on flippery like 'PR' issues, or focus on what is really happening in the Middle East. What is happening is both profound and unpredictable. In terms of managing PR, we have moved away from spin of Blair years, so it's inevitable that Government has a rocky road.

10:20
Mark 
Hi Robert, seems like Britain and the world is finally starting to react to the situation in Libya. Why did we appease a dictator there for so long? We have become cowards in the West since Iraq
Robert Halfon
I agree with your sentiments. We appeased Gaddaffi for far too long. My Grandfather was one of the Jews in Libya who was forced to flee because Gadaffi took all the Jews' homes and businesses. He came to England eventually, after a short spell in Italy. Some of our Universities, like the LSE,have been prostituting themselves to Middle eastern despots for blood money.
Anthony Giddens praise for Gadaffi was a disgrace. Similarly, for far too long, our Foreign office and businesses like BP, have been appeasing Gadaffi in the name of realpolitik. We need a radical reappraisal of our foreign policy

10:23
Richard 
Hi Robert - I've noted that you've mentioned extremism on campus a few times. Is this REALLY an issue or is it just scaremongering?
Robert Halfon
It is a huge issue. Go on to google and look at the organisation Student Rights, and you will see what has been going on. Islamist extremists are monopolising some of our Universities and University authorities have been too weak to get a grip with it. I suspect in some cases like the LSE, they have also been keen to appease Middle East Dictators, so as to receive funds.

10:25
Jim Telfer 
Hello there. As a supporter of Israel, has the situation in the Middle East made you nervous or does it make you hopeful for a better future?
Robert Halfon
It has made me incredibly anxious. I welcome the fact that despots are falling across the Middle East. But what will be in their place? Democracy is not just about the mechanics of elections - important though that is. It is about religious tolerance, equality towards women, property rights, rejection of terrorism and rule of law. Will the new regimes that emerge have these qualifications? If so, then there is chance for peace in the Middle East. If not, then Israel's situation will be very precarious indeed.

10:28
Anne
Hi Robert, where do you stand on the AV debate? I think the whole thing is a big waste of the public's time and money. I think we should just get on with governing the country, not appeasing pie in the sky Lib Dems
Robert Halfon
I actually support electoral reform but not AV. I support the Second Ballot system as operates in France, Austria and some Eastern European countries. This retains FPTP but in constituencies where you don't get over 50% of the vote, there is a second ballot a week later for the top two parties. It is only 50p per head more expensive than the current system. Unlike AV, it doesn’t require you to make second and third choices before you know the result. I have written about this on the Conservative Home website.
Robert Halfon
So for the time being I will vote to keep FPTP as it is the best on offer.

10:31
Alan Hawkes
Hi Robert, Do you feel that we should be willing to offer financial support to countries in the Middle East that have overthrown dictators to try and boost the chances that life will become better for their population and reduce the chance of extremists taking over?
Robert Halfon
Absolutely. But not just financial. Our Foreign Policy should be geared towards supporting reform movements. Our aid policy should be focused on know how and expertise: training reform minded political parties, advice on stopping corruption, direct aid to local communities, rather than via the EU/UN etc through to Governments.

10:33
Idro 
What's the best case scenario in the Middle East? A whole bunch of new Turkeys?
Robert Halfon
Well the best case scenario is for the Middle East to become genuinely democratic: with property rights, a rule of law, religious tolerance, equality towards women and free and fair elections

10:38
Milly P 
So do you think that it is accurate when people suggest that Arab society isn't necessarily 'suited' to democracy?
Robert Halfon
RealPolitik.

10:41
ST Newsroom
We have one more question on the Middle East, and then we are going to look closer to home for a bit
TandemStar 
Libya looks like it en route to civil war....should the West intervene militarily if that becomes the case?
Robert Halfon
Yes, if it is to stop mass murder and more bloodshed. Nato should be on standby.

10:42
Ted, Manchester
Hello Robert, so what is an internet bill of rights when it is at home? Surely the one thing we really know about the web is just how difficult it is to manage
Robert Halfon
That is exactly why we need an Internet Bill of Rights. I have argued that we are living in a kind of advanced privatised surveillance society, in that companies like Google et al are accessing our personal information like emails and wi-fi codes, and we have no way of stopping them. A Bill of Rights for the Internet would provide protection for the individual and stop advanced internet companies scraping our private details - without our permission - and using that data for commercial purposes.

10:45
Sarah 
Did you see this story about 48% of people saying they would support a new party tougher on immigration. What are your thoughts on this. Should we be taking a tougher line on immigration? Last year was a record year I believe
Robert Halfon
It is a very interesting poll. My big worry is not when bad people are racist, because there will always be bad people -but when good people- well intentioned - express such views as stated in the poll. The reason for this is that for the past 15 years or so, people have thought immigration policy was too one sided in favour of immigrants.
The Government is getting to grips on this by limiting immigration to the tens of thousands, restricting those who can come here and tightening up abuse such as student visas etc. But we also need to get a grip on extremist Islamists in the UK. When people see these extremists - and see what some get up to - it greatly damages community cohesion.

10:49
jay
Do you think prisoners should have the right to vote? Also, although we might all vote against it, as far as I can tell we are signed up to the ECHR and will have to go along with it either way
Robert Halfon
Absolutely not. I voted against prisoners having the vote. I said during the debate in the Commons the following: Those who founded the ECHR- did so from the noblest of intentions- to stop Nazi Germany from ever happening again. It was never their intention to give Rudolf Hess and Albert Speer the vote. I think we should withdraw from the ECHR and renegotiate to go back in on different terms. Sweden did this in 2002 successfully.

10:52
Jonnpo86
How are the Tories coping without Andy Coulson? Seems like Steve Hilton is running everything from Downing Street nowadays
Robert Halfon
Well, I liked Andy Coulson. As an Essex MP, I appreciated his understanding of what the man or woman in the street thought. Steve Hilton is very talented and has a different role as a strategic adviser. I think the recent reorganisation of Downing Street - on balance - has been a good thing.

10:54
ST Newsroom
We have a response from Sarah to Robert's answer about the immigration poll...
Sarah
But the views in the poll - that we need to do more on immigration - seem to be something you agree with. You say yourself that the new government will do more to prevent Islamic extremism and limit immigration.
ST Newsroom
You can see the article on immigration here http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/Society/article565461.ece.
Robert Halfon
Yes absolutely. But I think that the Government is at last getting to grips with the immigration problem. In his speech in Munich, the PM set out clearly how the Government would deal with Islamist extremism. I believe it to be one of his most important speeches.

10:57
ST Newsroom
And from Ricardo on the ECHR and prisoner voting...
Ricardo
But Albert Speer and Rudolf Hess were part of a murderous regime. What about someone who has committed a non-violent crime, and is on the road to rehabilitation?
Robert Halfon
Yes, that is true, but the ECHR is saying that we should give all prisoners the right to vote including murderers. I believe in rehabilitation, but I also believe that in prison you should lose the right to vote - as part of the punishment for your crimes.

11:00
David M 
Robert. There was a recent Sunday Times article about rising anti-Semitism in the UK. One hears this quite a lot, do you believe it is true? And what do you think is the cause of it?
ST Newsroom
Here is the link to that News Review piece by Amy Turner http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/newsreview/features/article534879.ece.
Robert Halfon
Yes, I made a speech on this in the Commons. It is very bad. the most pernicious is extreme Islamist anti-Semitism. In extremist Mosques, on some of our campuses and from extremist organisations. The stats are there for all to see. I went to Kurdistan in Northern Iraq recently as part of a Parliamentary delegation.
The Kurdish Prime Minister - who is a Muslim - said he had visited a Mosque in the North of England - that was so extreme, that if it had existed in Kurdistan, he would have had it closed down the very next day.

11:03
Leah
The Munich speech was spot on. It is so refreshing to have a prime minister with the cojones to actually get up and say that, despite the fact the some in the left-wing press will attack him for it
Robert Halfon
Yes, exactly. I genuinely believe this speech to be one of the most important that David Cameron has ever made. it took on the left consensus of the past twenty years, of appeasing extremism and said enough is enough. No longer. It identified that in Britain we face a serious problem with extremists and that we have to confront it - rather than sweep it under the carpet.
11:05
Martina 
Isn't a lot of that Islamist anti-Semitism based on hatred of Israel? And dare I say it a response to Israel's treatment of the Palestinians. Muslims haven't historically been that anti-Semitic
Robert Halfon
Well, I think a lot anti-Semitism hides itself under the veil of criticism of Israel. Israel is not a perfect society, but a genuinely democratic one- with the rule of law. Attacks on Israel's wrong-doings, are out of all proportion to criticism of other countries. It is funny how there have been no demonstrations in Hyde Park, or celebrities on TV condemning Libya or Tunisia etc. Yet they are quick to jump on the anti-Israel bandwagon at the first opportunity.

11:09
Alice 
What do you think about introducing quotas in the boardroom? I hate quotas of any type, but it does seem things are improving very slowly with regards to equality
Robert Halfon
Absolutely not. I don't like positive discrimination of any type. Would someone who got into the boardroom because of a quota, really be happy? He or she would know they were only there because of a quota. I believe in meritocracy.

11:10
Simon 
Surely in the globalised world we live in, immigration is here to stay and we had better just get used to it. Is national identity even that important? Has been the source of a lot of wars, more so than religion in the modern era
Robert Halfon
Good question. Of course some immigration is welcome. But we are a small crowded Island with 65 million people. We don't have the room. It is a simple as that. Also, national identity is a good thing. Look at the USA. A country with millions of immigrants, yet with one identity. I wish we displayed our flag in the way the Americans display theirs in their homes and schools etc. Our problem has been that we have accepted immigrants without encouraging a sense of national identity at the same time.

11:13
Chris Linthwaite
Should the United Kingdom withdraw support to Israel if it opens up markets in the Middle east for trade?
Robert Halfon
I think that is a strange question. If Israel opened up markets to trade with other Middle Eastern countries, it would be a good thing. Free markets always help democratic development. The problem is the other way round. Middle eastern dictators won't open their markets to Israel.

11:16
ST Newsroom
Ok. we have time for one final question, about the coalition and the future...
Eddy 
Will the coalition last until the next election? And are the Lib Dems at risk of being obliterated as a party? I think the likes of Clegg and Laws could easily become Tories in 5 years time
Robert Halfon
I think on balance the coalition is a good thing. It is a reflection of what the country wants - and voted for at the last election. I think it will last because the country faces an economic crisis, because of the actions of the last Labour Government, in nearly bankrupting the economy.
We are paying £120 million a day in debt interest alone - money which could otherwise be spent on public services or cutting taxes or both. The Coalition will last because of all the political capital invested in reforming the economy, and the tough decisions that have to be taken.
I don't know what will happen to the Liberal Party or some of its members. But, I would be delighted if there was a centre -right realignment in politics, with a coalition of the willing: those who support free markets, lower taxes, the big society, devolved public services, genuine people power and are sceptical of Big Government, whether it is in Whitehall or Brussels.

11:23
Robert Halfon
I think that is my last question. But thank you for all those who have asked me questions. I enjoyed answering them. Enjoy your Sunday.
ST Newsroom
Right, that's all we have time for today. Many thanks to Robert for coming on today, his answers were both extensive and eloquent. And thanks to all of you who came in to read and ask questions
Next week's Sunday politics debate will be (subject to any schedule shifts) a double-header with Tory backbench MP Richard Ottaway and Lib Dem veteran Norman Baker. Sure to be a lively affair

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

A very important speech - Cameron takes an uncompromising position against extreme Islamism

Before the election, David Cameron talked about draining the posion of extreme Islamism from our country.  Last December, when I asked the Prime Minister about Britain's exports of Islamists terrorist, to Israel, Afghanistan, and Sweden, he indicated his determination to deal with this problem.

Today, in perhaps his most important speech since becoming Prime Minister, David Cameron set out the Government's determination to deal with extremist Islamism.  What was remarkable, was that the PM spoke about the failures of multiculturalism and of the appeasement of so-called Islamic groups - which far from curtailing extremism -encouraged their spread.  It was if groups aligned to the BNP, had been supported in an effort to discourage those with fascist sympathies.

What really came through in this speech was the uncompromising position that the Government intend to take with extremist Islamism.  I hope this means dealing with the radicalisation in Mosques, penalising our universities which fail to deal with extremism, and proscribing Islamist organisations like Hizb ut Tahrir.

You an see the full speech HERE.  It is well worth reading through carefully.

P.S.   It is depressing that the response of a Labour Spokesman, has been to compare the Prime Minister's speech as a 'text' for the English Defence League.   At least Labour Muslim Backbench MP Kahlid Mahmood, has - to his credit - said he agrees with Mr Cameron:

 "I think generally most of what David said made sense. I think there is a real issue in the way we've funded organisations in the past and I think we need to move away from that and deliver a service, not just for one community, but how we integrate people better. I think he is saying a lot of stuff that I have campaigned on for the last 10 years. It is important that we don't muddle in the whole Muslim community and he has made that very clear, this is not about castigating all the community, this is about looking at the people who practice extremism.

"A lot of Muslims in the UK are very happy to be a part of the community they live in but at the same time practice their religion. I think that is quite right and that has to be communicated. I think what we need to do is clamp down on extremism where it exists... It's important that we do that because all of us want to be part of the community and want to get on. That is why the majority of them moved here, because they wanted a better life and better class of society and better distinction of human rights and civil liberties."

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Tunisia: From the frying pan of dictatorship to the fire of Islamism?

We are all watching the political earthquake in Tunisia, as a corrupt dictator has been overthrown by the suffering populace.

But getting rid of one dictator is not enough.  Democracy will only work if it is accompanied by genuine free speech, the rule of law, property rights, religious tolerance and equality for women.  Too often, countries and nations are described as democratic  - just if they hold elections - but this is only part of the equation of liberty, not the whole sum.

In the case of Tunisia, there is a strong possibility that the current vacuum may quickly be filled by Islamists - in particular Al Qaeda, which are thought to be active in the region.

I hope Western nations, including Britain, are active in doing their part - to ensure that a genuinely democratic government emerges.     They must take every necessary step to stop Tunisia becoming a bastion for resurgent Islamists and Terrorists.  The security of the Middle East depends upon it.

Click HERE (and scroll down) to see a question I asked about this in the Commons today, during an emergency statement on Tunisia.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Supporting the Bahais

Most people are aware of the true nature of the Iranian Government:  Islamist, fundamentalist, authoritarian, and soon to acquire nuclear weapons.  What is less well known, is the Regime's treatment of its religious minorities.

The suffering of religious groups like the Bahais, was brought home to me when I recently met a number of Iranian Bahais who live in Harlow. They came to Parliament to describe to me about the persecutrion of the Bahais. One Harlow resident, Mali Vojdani's niece had even been in an Iranian prison for three and a half years - simply because of her religion (she has only just been released).  Other Bahais have been imprisoned, tortured and some murdered.  There are still thousands of innocent people being persecuted by the Iranian regime, because of their faith. This includes Bahais, Jews, Christians, and many others."

For this reason, I tabled a Commons Motion, signed by twenty four MPs, in an effort to ensure that Parliamentarians and the Government are made aware of what is happening to the Bahai people:

EDM 1053 – submitted by Robert Halfon MP

That this House expresses grave alarm at the news of the trial and sentencing of the Bah’ leadership in Iran; notes that Mrs Fariba Kamalabadi, Mr Jamaloddin Khanjani, Mr Afif Naeimi, Mr Saeid Rezaie, Mrs Mahvash Sabet, Mr Behrouz Tavakkoli and Mr Vahid Tizfahm are members of the informal leadership known as the Friends that co-ordinate the activities of the Bah’ community in Iran; further notes that the defendants were each sentenced to 20 years in prison in a brief trial with limited access to legal counsel; urges the Government to seek from the Iranian government guarantees for the safety of these individuals;calls for their immediate unconditional release; registers deep concern at the mounting threats and persecution of the Iranian Bah’ community; joins in the condemnation of the persecution of the Bah’ faith; and supports freedom of religion as a basic human right under international law.

All the Bahais I have met - in Harlow and outside are peaceful, decent people, who deserve to practice their religion without fear of oppression.  I intend to highlight the trial and sentencing of the Bahai leadership in Iran, and am urging the Government to seek guarantees from the Iran Government regarding their safety and he is calling for their immediate unconditional release. Freedom of religion is a basic human right under international law.
I will do all I can to support Harlow Bahais, and look forward to their new year celebrations at the end of March.

P.S.  You can read more details HERE.

P.P.S. The picture shows me with the Harlow Bahais, at Parliament.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

The Easy Case

Apart from a few tabloid newspapers, the attempted disruption by extreme Islamists on last week's Remembrance Sunday was barely reported.  Despite the threats to public disorder, it seems that these Islamists were allowed to burn a giant poppy, and desecrate this special day - almost with impunity.



Yet, just some days earlier, Cllr. Gareth Thompson, who made an extremist - and stupid - remark on Twitter, (about a Muslim journalist) was subsequently arrested, because of threats to public order.

It seems that we live in a kind of parallel universe, where only some of our citizens face punitive actions for offensive behaviour whilst others do not.  It appears that the more extreme and more difficult, the more afraid the 'authorities' are in dealing with the situation.  How much simpler to deal with 'the easy case' - i.e. the Gareth Comptons of this world.

Last Thursday, in the House of Commons, I asked for a debate on this very subject.  You might be interested in the transcript below:

Robert Halfon (Harlow) (Con): Will my right hon. Friend agree to an urgent debate on extreme Islamists in the United Kingdom? As action was taken against Gareth Compton for his alleged threat to public disorder, does he agree that action should also be taken against the extreme Islamists who disrupted Remembrance Sunday last week because of their threat to public disorder?

Sir George Young: I am grateful to my hon. Friend, but the specific incident that he mentioned is a matter for the police and the Crown Prosecution Service. I think we all have a role in challenging extremism. We should all stand up for our shared British values and against extremists and their bigoted, racist and false ideology.


P.S.  You can read more detail about the Islamists demonstration HERE and HERE or watch a video HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Tony Blair's right about some things

I must admit that I bought the Blair memoirs today (half-price) and watched his BBC interview with Andrew Marr. I am also not afraid to say - even as a staunch Conservative - that I do have some admiration for the former Prime Minister.

Tony Blair was a brilliant Politician in that he transformed the Labour Party, was a great orator and knew how to win elections. But, he was a much worse Prime Minister. He failed to stand up to Gordon Brown, and as a result, important public sector reforms were carried out half-heartedly, if not shelved. He also was unable to convince the British Public about the Iraq war, partly because there was too much 'spinning' - as to what was really going on - from his Downing Street henchmen. Blair did have the grace to acknowledge that in the early years he 'tried to please all the people all of the time'. This had been a mistake and inevitably politics was about difficult choices - many of which people would either support or oppose.



Nevertheless, on TV, Mr Blair was right about a number of things: He reminded the world about the threat of Iran and of extreme Islamism. I agree when he said that military action against Iran may be necessary, in order to stop the fundamentalist regime from acquiring the bomb. He was correct also in stating that Islamist fundamentalism is the major threat of our time: the West had to confront it rather than appease it.

The former PM, also said some important things about the future of the Labour movement. Urging the party not to go back to election defeat 'default mechanism' and revert to 'old Labour', he pleaded with his former colleagues to continue to be radical and embrace public sector reform. Of course, the Labour party are doing the exact opposite: opposing cutting the deficit, setting themselves against change to public services and opposing the people power reforms of local democracy and the big society. Whilst Tony Blair moves towards the centre right of British politics, Labour continues to move leftwards.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Not a good time to be a dog in Iran

Not content with stoning women to death, arresting dissenters, issuing edicts on men's haircuts, and developing weapons of mass destruction, Iran's fundamentalist Islamist regime has now issued warnings that pets are no longer to be allowed. In a weird linkage between Islamism, Maoism and Stalinism, pet pooches are deemed to be 'bourgeoisie' and symbols of decadent Westerners. It is interesting just how much cross-over totalitarian ideologies do have - and how similar the language.

What is even more bizarre about this latest 'ruling' is that it appears to have been issued by Grand Ayatollah Nasser Shirazi, who has an office in Harrow, North London of all places. Good to know what kind of people we allow to have offices in this country.

The lunacy and extremism of the Iranian fundamentalist regime continues to manifest itself to the world. Sooner or later action will have to be taken to stop President Ahmadinejad from having his finger on the nuclear trigger.

You can read more about this HERE (behind the Times paywall).

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Home Office Civil servants oppose Home Secretary's decision to ban Islamist extremists from Britain

On 30 May 2010, I wrote THIS blog about the extreme Islamist Zakir Naik who had been invited to Britain. Fortunately, Mr Naik's application was blocked by the Home Secretary, Mrs Theresa May, who refused him entry into the UK. The main point of my blog however, was not just that we should stop fanatics from arriving on our shores, but that we needed to look at why such people were being invited in the first place.

Now we learn that the Home Secretary's correct decision to ban Mr Naik has apparently been opposed by her own civil servants in the Home Office, some of whom - according to the Sunday Times - are at best appeasing, and at worst encouraging extreme Islamism in the UK. It is understood that senior officials have criticised the decisions and one has allegedly been suspended for trenchant criticism of the Mrs May.

For this reason, I and some other MPs have written to The Daily Telegraph, condemning the activities of these officials and urging that the Office of Counter Terrorism does not act against David Cameron's determination to root this poison out of our country.

You can read more details HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Meeting Jose Maria Aznar: a Friend of Israel

I hosted an important event in the House of Commons today. Former Spanish Prime Minister, Jose Maria Aznar, Historian Andrew Roberts, Lawyer Anthony Julius and Italian Senator Marcello Pera have launched a global Friends of Israel initiative. The aim is to counter balance the anti-Israel lobby and ensure that the case for Israel is made loud and clear.

To mark the occasion, I had an article published on the Conservative Home website and thought you might like to see it below:

Why Israel needs its friends:

ONE of the most astonishing - and destructive - political phenomena in recent years has been hostility to the state of Israel and all she stands for. If it were just confined to the extreme left - and extreme Islamism - that would be bad enough. But this is a virus that has spread beyond the fringes to much of the soft left, to sections of the media and even the chattering class's dinner party circuit.

We have become accustomed to see so called "Palestinian Solidarity" marches around Hyde Park, with demonstrators carrying banners reading "we are all Hezbollah now". We have seen the likes of George Galloway salute Saddam Hussein and the Syrian Assad leadership. We have watched the populist left, such as Ken Livingstone, invite and embrace Islamists like Sheikh Qaradawi (a man who provides the "intellectual justification for suicide bombers") to the United Kingdom. These people represent a long standing strain of the left. The far left, which for years justified Stalinism, Castroism and appeasement of communism, has now come to support totalitarian Islam. Call it conviction politics if you will - the extreme left's extremism knows no bounds.

But when virulent anti-Israel politics reaches mainstream society - particularly amongst the media and Labour backbenchers (to be fair, a view not shared by Gordon Brown and Tony Blair), when our broadcast media feeds us a daily diet of partisan coverage on the Middle East, now is the time for free-thinking people on the right to stand up and be counted. It is time to the make the case for Israel.

Israel, in her sixty years' existence, has been at the front line of freedom. It has faced down dictatorships, secular terrorism and now extremist Islamism. It's very existence is under threat from Iran's fundamentalist regime, which is close to having nuclear weapon capability. When Israel faced a daily barrage of suicide bombing from Islamists (courtesy of Hamas and Islamic Jihad), few understood what this signified: a worldwide assault on freedom. After September 11 - and when extreme British Islamists organised a wave of suicide bombing in London, many on the right woke up to the battle that was being waged. The Islamists who attempt to destroy Israel, are not just waging a battle. against the Jewish state, they are trying to destroy Western values as a whole. Eliminate Israel and you wipe out a country that is in the vanguard against totalitarianism - and encourage the whole of the Middle East to be engulfed under fanaticism. The modest steps towards liberalisation made by some Arab countries would be extinguished overnight. Of course, the mainstream left will argue that the Palestinian issue is the reason for Islamist fundamentalism.

But this is akin to arguing that there would have been no Hitler had the Sudeten Germans not felt aggrieved. September 11 happened before the Iraq war. The second Palestinian Intifadah happened after the Israelis had offered the Palestinians almost everything they wanted at the President Clinton talks in Camp David. When Israel withdrew unilaterally from Gaza (to rare acclaim at the time), instead of this being used as a staging post to peace, Gaza became a

client Islamist State, as Hamas staged a coup d'état and overthrew the PLO. Few will forget the television pictures of Hamas operatives throwing PLO/Fatah members from the rooftops of government buildings. Gaza is now used as a launching post in which missiles have been fired on a daily basis by Hamas and Islamic Jihad on to Israel. It has become a laboratory for a mutated form of Islamism.

Israel's withdrawal from every part of Lebanon (as recognised by the United Nations), far from weakening extreme Islamism, actively encouraged it. Instead of Lebanon making peace with Israel, Hezbollah, funded by Iran and Syria, took over the southern part of the country and began to fire missiles onto Israeli territory, kidnapping Israeli soldiers. This last action provoked the Lebanon war of 2006, in which Israel was routinely criticised for its actions against Hezbollah - an extremist terrorist movement - that has carried out atrocities across the world. Now Hezbollah holds the Lebanese Government in a vice-like grip, as that country moves a step closer to becoming an Iranian/Syrian Islamist client state.

Unlike most of its neighbours, Israel is a free market society, that believes in individual liberty and the rule of law. It is a country based on deeply rooted parliamentary democracy with all parties and groups represented. Its laws are subject to monitoring by a Supreme Court, in which any citizen has the right to petition.

The Supreme Court frequently rules against the Government and Palestinians have successfully used the court to deal with grievances, such as the placing of a security fence - something which has decreased suicide bombing by 90%. Yet these things are rarely reported in the mainstream media, which tends to present a particular view of the conflict.

The importance of this tiny nation (smaller than Wales) cannot be over-estimated. If we believe in freedom, if we oppose Islamist totalitarianism, if we want to make a stand against terrorism, we must support the state that has done so much to combat these evils over its sixty years existence. For too long the left has allowed anti-Zionism to permeate through politics and beyond.

This is why, I am supporting the initiative recently established by former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Aznar and have sponsored his visit to the House of Commons today. As Mr Aznar states:

"there never has been a greater need to counter the trends towards deligitimtising Israel and her right to live in peace with secure and defensible borders". Or, as he notes, somewhat chillingly, given the rise of Islamism: "the world must support Israel, as if she goes down, we all go down".

P.S. Please see HERE for more details.

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Stopping the invitations is as important as stopping the invitee

What is it about the UK, that a significant number of extremist Islamists want to come here? The Sunday Times reports today that there is a possibility that a 'Preacher', known as Zakir Naik, will be visiting sometime in the near future. This is a man who allegedly said George Bush was behind 9-11, that he "was with "Osama Bin Laden" and that "every Muslim should be a Terrorist". It was Labour, who - so often - allowed extremists to come to the UK, most notably with Sheikh al-Qaradawi - invited by former Labour Mayor Ken Livingstone.

What is even worse than such individuals coming into Britain, is the fact that they have been invited in the first place. Why is that a number of organisations are intent on inviting extreme Islamists to the UK? Why do they think it is perfectly proper to hold meetings in Wembley and Sheffield with people who praise Mr Bin Laden and condone terrorism?

As David Cameron rightly said a couple of months ago, we have to drain the poison of extreme Islamism from our country:

"So we’ve got to deal with this and drain this poison. And there are three key things we need to do. First, stop letting people like Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Ibrahim Moussawi into this country to spread hatred. Second, ban those extremist groups like Hizb-ut-Tahrir who are already here. And third, do more – much more – to tackle radicalisation in our universities."

I look forward to a time, not just when these Islamists are no longer allowed in the UK, but that they are not invited in the first place. That is when we will really know that extreme Islamism is no longer a threat from within.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

Draining the poison

David Cameron makes some powerful points in a recent interview with a weekly newspaper about Islamist extremism in Britain:

"So we’ve got to deal with this and drain this poison. And there are three key things we need to do. First, stop letting people like Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Ibrahim Moussawi into this country to spread hatred. Second, ban those extremist groups like Hizb-ut-Tahrir who are already here. And third, do more – much more – to tackle radicalisation in our universities.

Of course, it’s important that academic freedom is respected and that our universities are a place where robust debate can take place. But this freedom has to be matched by responsibility – and that means making clear to university authorities and student unions that they need to help identify those who are vulnerable to influence from extremists or shown they are willing to promote hatred, just as they would in relation to any other suspected crime".

Islamist radicalism is a real threat from within in our country today. Not only do we face significant danger from terrorism but there is also a culture of extremism propounded by fanatics, prevalent in some of our universities and places of worship. Sadly, Gordon Brown's Government has either appeased, or done too little, too late to contain the problem. Many will be glad that the Tory Leader has been so firm setting out what a Conservative Government would do to 'drain this poison' from Britain.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com

From the frying pan into the fire

I have written this article for the Conservative Home website and thought you might like to see it:

Although I yield to no one in my enthusiasm for 'the Twitter Uprising', we should not get too carried away with the idea that Presidential Candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, is some kind of Ghandi type figure, about to bring unbridled freedom in Iran.

It is true, he supports some domestic reforms, and some relaxation of strict Islamist laws (all of which is welcome), but the question is, where does he stand on the fundamental issues?

The signs are that Mr Mousavi, would not be much different from what has gone on before. He helped create the feared Ministry of Intelligence and Information (which ruthlessly targets oppositionists). There is also a fair amount of evidence that he helped found Hezbollah and was on its leadership Council during the 1980s – including arranging funding. Unsurprisingly, Mr Mousavi has been a major proponent of calling for Hezbollah to be used as an attack force against Israel, and his views on Hamas are not thought to be much different.

It is worth remembering also Mr Mousavi, was Prime Minister of Iran during the purge of 1988, when many thousands of 'political' prisoners were killed, on the orders of Ayatollah Khomeini.

Mr Mousavi's term as Prime Minister saw renewed hostility towards America and his establishment of the Iranian chemical weapons programme. His government brought nuclear centrifuges on the 'open market' thus setting in train the nuclear armament programme that is close to completion today. I mention the above, not to put a dampener on the remarkable events in Iran, just to show that the outcome may not be quite what we wish for.

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The Twitter Uprising

What is happening in Iran is truly remarkable. The Iranian Public have refused to accept the results of the recent Presidential Election. And no wonder: it is likely that the election result was falsified by hard-line Islamists to stop the reformist Candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi being elected.

The current 'President' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is regarded by many, as a major source of instability in the Middle East, and an extremist determined to impose his Islamist world-view across the globe. Not only has he called for the destruction of Israel and denied the Holocaust, his Government supports and funds Islamist terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

It is not surprising therefore that 'President' Ahmadinejad - alongside the Iranian Mullahs (who have huge power in the political system) - is desperate to hold onto power.

Yet, thanks to Twitter and imaginative use of the Internet, the Iranian public have been able to defy the Mullah's Dictatorship, organise protests and demonstrations, defying Government censorship of TV and attempts at Internet jamming. Some clever younger internet users have even been able to mount a 'reverse jamming' by hacking into and blocking Government run websites. Most importantly, the use of Twitter, other social networking sites, and blogging, have enabled the Iranian people to inform the world, what is really going on. Whether or not this uprising succeeds against this fanatical and brutal Regime remains to be seen. But one thing is for sure : the power of the internet is a great weapon against the power of dictators.

P.S. As I write this, I have just heard that the Government has fired on demonstrators.

President Karzai shows some signs of retreat

A few days ago, I wrote a post about President Karzai of Afghanistan, who had effectively legalised husbands to rape their wives. Following strong pressure from Nato and President Obama, according to the BBC, the Afghan President has announced he is 'reviewing' the law. Nato Allies, should demand immediate repeal, otherwise forgo assistance to Mr Karzai. Afghanistan must not be allowed to return to the medieval Islamism of the Taliban.

The Taliban Spirit lives on in Afghanistan

One of the most brutal aspects of the extreme Islamism of the Taliban, was the way in which women were subjugated and treated as second class citizens. The West's invasion of Afghanistan was designed not just to deal with Osama Bin Laden, but also to help rid the country of Islamist Totalitarianism and restore a sense of civility to the country.

Now we find that despite a semblance of the mechanics of democracy, the Taliban spirit lives on, even under those who are seen as so called 'moderates'. Today's Guardian and Daily Telegraph explains how President Karzai - in an effort to win votes from Shias, in advance of the forthcoming elections - has signed into law, legislation which, in effect, allows husbands to rape their wives If this barbarism were not bad enough, the new law also refuses wives the right to work, to see a Doctor, or leave the house without their husband's permission. The United Nations has condemned the new laws, demanding to see the full legislation - which thus far they have been denied.

Whilst I was a full supporter of the war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda (and remain so) - who couldn't be after 9-11- I can't help feeling that something, somewhere, has gone deeply wrong. What is also going on in Afghanistan today, is also an important reminder, that freedom does not just mean holding democratic elections. It has has to be about upholding the rule of law guaranteeing property rights, and above all treating all human beings equally and with dignity. President Karzai has failed this simple test of genuine liberty.