Tikriti said 40 percent of the Muslim voters, who traditionally vote Labour, cast their ballots in favor of Respect

By Imam El-Liethy, IOL Staff

CAIRO, June 15 (IslamOnline.net) – British Muslim activist Anas Al-Tikriti, who stood for the European Parliament elections under nascent Respect party, blamed the party’s failure to capture any seat on a media blackout and political miscalculation.

Speaking to IslamOnline.net over the phone, Tikriti, who ran in Yorkshire and the Humber , said, however, that 40 percent of the Muslim voters, who traditionally vote Labour, cast their ballots in favor of Respect.

He admitted that the four-month-old party miscalculated when it gave more attention to the war on Iraq at the expense of burning domestic issues like cementing Britain ’s relations with the expanding European Union (EU).

A case in point, Tikriti said, is the considerable gains made by anti-EU right-wing the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

The party made a dramatic breakthrough by taking 12 seats, marking its arrival as a serious political force and a new headache for beleaguered Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Our political discourse did not appeal to the British voters, who see the Iraq issue in a secondary light compared to other domestic issues, Tikriti said.

Media Blackout

Tikriti further blamed the loss of Respect on a media blackout, but ruling out a foul play by the Zionist lobby.

"The BBC, for instance, made in the past few weeks intensive interviews with representatives of other running parties, but neither the British broadcaster nor newspaper have invited us to give voice to our agenda," he told IOL.

"Even worse, some papers refused to publish our messages in the Letter to the Editor section," the Muslim activist added, noting that the party was preparing a lawsuit.

He accused Independent columnist David Aaronovitch of championing a malicious campaign against Respect, urging the voters to vote down the party for the Greens.

Asked about the party’s next step, Tikriti said they are planning to strike a coalition with other parities.

Achievement

The British activist, nevertheless, hailed his party’s performance in the elections, especially for a party that did not exist just 20 weeks ago.

"To put it in comparison, the 30-year-old Greens party has captured a meager two seats," in the 732-seat legislature, he said.

Tikriti noted that Respect’s slate has garnered a total of 2.3 percent of the votes or 250,000 votes nationwide.

He, as an individual, got 2.5 percent in his constituencies, while prominent party candidate George Galloway secured five percent of the votes.