Labour set to lose in West Midlands after collapse in Muslim vote'

According to sources within the political party, there is a disagreement due to the position on Gaza. Many followers of Muslim faith are showing support for an independent candidate for mayor. This independent candidate is being supported by George Galloway.

Sources within the Labour party are concerned that they will not win the mayoral election in the West Midlands due to dissatisfaction among Muslim voters regarding their position on Gaza.

People with inside knowledge cautioned that a significant change in the level of backing from the Muslim community in the city could hinder their possibility of winning.

According to reports, the independent candidate supported by George Galloway received strong support from Muslim voters due to his focus on the Gaza conflict during his campaign.

If Andy Street, the Conservative mayor of the West Midlands, remains in his position, it will be a disappointment for Sir Keir Starmer, despite having successful local elections for his party.

If he loses, people may become more curious about how his position on Gaza, particularly his initial denial to support a ceasefire, has harmed Labour's reputation within the Muslim community.

Although the election happened on Thursday, the counting of votes is not scheduled until Saturday. The announcement of the outcome is expected to happen at approximately 3pm.

Before the race, polls showed that Richard Parker, who is running for the Labour party, was very close to Andy Street in popularity. Mr. Street was only two points ahead of him.

However, it seems that the Labour party's efforts have been undermined by Akhmed Yakoob, an independent candidate who has received support from the Workers Party of Britain, led by Mr. Galloway.

Prior to the race, the lawyer who is 36 years old was most notable for being active on TikTok, a platform for sharing videos. He maintains over 184,000 followers on the app.

Sources from the Labour party have revealed that it is highly likely for him to secure the third position in certain regions across the West Midlands. This could result in a large number of votes being taken away from the Labour party, thus negatively impacting their chances of winning.

According to Mr Galloway, the candidate representing our party in the West Midlands may have been the reason why Labour didn't win the mayoralty. I previously stated that Keir Starmer's actions towards Palestine would have consequences, and it appears that today marks the beginning of that price.

A representative for the Labour party stated that it's still uncertain whether the increase in popularity for Mr. Yakoob is due to people switching from Labour to his side, or if he is simply drawing in individuals who have never voted before.

Someone else informed the BBC that it was not the West Midlands, but rather the Middle East that played a significant role in securing Street's place as mayor. Apparently, the true culprits in this situation are Hamas.

Labour has received criticism for an anonymous quote and has stated that it was not approved by central authorities. As a result of this, the Labour party has taken a step away from the quote.

A representative stated that the Labour party has - in no uncertain terms - denounced the racist statement. The quote was not uttered by a party member nor does it reflect the party's principles and teachings.

According to another insider, making predictions at this point, without even a single vote being counted, is premature and the reports being circulated are merely unfounded speculation.

The Labour Party has put forth a lot of effort and resources to remove Mr. Street from his position as a prominent figure in the local Conservative government.

If the mayoralty is not won, it would be another setback for Labour following the loss of control of Oldham council and facing difficulties in gaining support in Bolton and certain areas of Newcastle.

In every single one of those locations, it encountered opposition from independent candidates and the Greens who support Palestine and have requested that the exportation of weapons to Israel be banned.

Councillors in Oldham who were not successful in the recent election mentioned that the disapproval regarding Sir Keir's position on Gaza had significantly impacted their defeat to independent candidates.

It is concerning for the party that Muslim voters are withdrawing their support, according to Darren Jones, who currently serves as the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury.

During an interview with LBC, he expressed his disappointment by saying, "It's unfortunate, and we feel very saddened by it. It's evident that a few independent candidates, upon running for the first time in certain regions of the country, have received support from voters that we would typically want to bring into the Labour community."

This demonstrates that there is still much work to be done in order to actively listen to, gain knowledge from, and provide assistance to voters throughout the nation and ultimately convince them to vote for the Labour party in future elections.

The head honcho of Bolton council held the Gaza crisis responsible for the opposition party's inability to gain ground in the recent elections, and furthermore, losing two seats.

According to Nick Peel's statement to the Bolton News, the political parties of Labour and the Conservatives have lost support from South Asian voters due to the ongoing issues in Palestine. This can be attributed to the humanitarian crisis that is taking place in the area.

Prof Will Jennings, an authority on elections, conducted an evaluation for Sky News. The findings revealed that Labour has experienced a decline in votes across regions where Muslim communities are concentrated.

In areas where the Muslim community makes up less than 2% of the population, their average percentage of votes has increased by an average of 1.5% when compared to the previous year.

The political party has experienced a decrease in support of 2.2 per cent in areas with a Muslim population greater than five per cent. These regions are referred to as council wards.

Momentum, a political faction that backed Jeremy Corbyn, claimed that Muslim voters were expressing disapproval of Labour's stance on the Gaza conflict.

A representative from Momentum stated that the losses incurred should serve as a warning to the leadership of the Labour party. It is unwise for any political group to ignore its foundational supporters, as this could lead to ultimate failure.

"Starmer needs to take a firm stance and demand an immediate halt to the selling of weapons to Israel, just like how other political factions have openly stated. Additionally, he should strongly denounce the continuous acts of war that Israel commits in Gaza and the West Bank."

Mr. Parker's campaign faced a setback when it was revealed on the eve of the election that he may have provided false information about his place of residence in order to be considered for the ballot.

The West Midlands Police are currently looking into claims that the Labour candidate may have violated electoral legislation. This was prompted by a complaint lodged by a Conservative MP in the area. The situation is currently being evaluated.

Mr. Parker's official election papers indicate that he listed a flat he rented in central Birmingham as his address for the upcoming election. However, he has openly confessed that his actual family home is located in a village that is situated just a quarter mile outside the West Midlands Combined Authority area.

An individual who speaks on behalf of Mr. Parker refuted the allegations as "disgraceful maneuvers in the political arena."