Muslim Council of Britain objects to Leicester riots review lead

RELIGIOUS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – The Muslim Council of Britain has expressed deep concern at the appointment of Lord Ian Austin, a former Labour MP, to lead the independent review into the Leicester riots, as announced by Michael Gove last week.

Religion Media Center reported the MCB says: “The appointment of Lord Austin, given his divisive record and the serious allegations of Islamophobia against him, has created deep apprehension among Muslims and other communities in Leicester.

This casts doubts on his suitability to oversee a review aimed at building trust and harmony within our communities”.

This relates to a story from 2011 when Ian Austin suggested that Friends of Al-Aqsa had denied the Holocaust – he later apologised unreservedly and said it was an error. The MCB is calling on the Secretary of State for Communities, Michael Gove, to reconsider the appointment and select an independent reviewer who can command the confidence and support of the diverse communities in Leicester.