UK Green Party Faces Backlash Over Sectarian Campaign Tactics
The Green Party of England and Wales has been accused of encouraging sectarian voting and deliberately dividing Indian and Pakistani communities in the United Kingdom. This controversy erupted after the party released campaign videos for a crucial by-election in the Urdu and Bangla languages, with promises of additional videos in Arabic and Pashto to follow.
Contentious Campaign Videos Target Specific Communities
The Gorton and Denton by-election represents a tight three-way contest between Reform UK, the Greens, and the Labour Party. This seat was previously held by Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who was suspended from the party and subsequently stepped down due to health reasons.
In their Urdu-language video specifically designed to appeal to Pakistani-origin voters, the Green Party included footage of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer shaking hands with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The video also shows UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, all set against a backdrop of stock images depicting Gaza ruins alongside the word "Labour."
Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, who is blonde, appears briefly in the video speaking a few basic Urdu phrases, with the remainder delivered by a native speaker. The controversial visuals further link Reform UK candidate Matt Goodwin to former US President Donald Trump and strategist Steve Bannon, alongside footage of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. The video concludes with an image of Spencer wearing a keffiyeh and the greeting "Ramadan Mubarak."
Widespread Criticism and Accusations of Division
Reform UK candidate Matt Goodwin strongly condemned the video as "blatant sectarianism" and criticized its production in languages other than English. Meanwhile, Green Party sources defended their approach, telling media outlets: "We produced these videos to reach out to communities who speak these languages."
An accompanying Urdu leaflet shows Spencer positioned in front of a mosque with the message: "Labour must be punished for Gaza." This messaging is particularly significant given that nearly 40% of Gorton's population identifies as Muslim.
The organization Hindus for Labour has issued a strong denunciation of the Green Party's campaign tactics. In their statement, they questioned: "It is entirely unclear what the Prime Minister of India has to do with a local byelection in Greater Manchester."
The group emphasized that "political parties have a responsibility to unite communities, not to divide them for electoral advantage," adding that "local elections should focus squarely on local priorities." They further accused the Greens of "drawing communities along religious lines," thereby distracting voters from substantive issues and potentially threatening the social cohesion of Gorton and Denton.
Community Leaders Express Concern Over Social Harmony
Neeraj Patil, chair of Hindus for Labour, elaborated on these concerns in an interview: "What has Narendra Modi got to do with the Gaza conflict and this byelection? In the UK, Indian and Pakistani communities are like good neighbours and colleagues. The Greens are trying to divide Hindus and Muslims and spread hatred between communities."
This controversy highlights growing tensions around campaign strategies that target specific ethnic and religious communities in UK elections, raising important questions about the balance between inclusive outreach and potentially divisive sectarian politics.
