Islamic Party of Britain

{{Infobox political party

| colorcode = {{party color|Islamic Party of Britain}}

| leader = David Musa Pidcock

| foundation = {{Start date|1989|09}}

| ideology = Islamism

| headquarters = Milton Keynes

| international =

| website = {{URL|islamicparty.com}}

| country = the United Kingdom

| name = Islamic Party of Britain

| logo = Islamic Party of Britain logo.png

| dissolution = {{end date|2006}}

| european =

| europarl =

| colours = Green

}}

The Islamic Party of Britain is a defunct political party in the United Kingdom that was active from its formation in 1989{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=TbYTAAAAIBAJ&pg=6294,61245|title=British Islamic Party spreads its wings|last=Dabrowska|first=Karen|date=16 November 1989|work=New Straits Times|access-date=10 February 2010|location=Malaysia}}{{Dead link|date=February 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} until 2006. The IPB was opposed to both capitalism and communism. David Musa Pidcock ( 1942 - December 5th 2021 ), a Sheffield man who converted from Roman Catholicism to Islam while working as an engineer in Saudi Arabia, founded and led the party. The IPB published a quarterly magazine entitled Common Sense.

The party entered the 1992 general election, standing three unsuccessful candidates in the constituencies of Bradford, a city with a large Muslim minority, and one in a London constituency, Streatham.

Founding

The Islamic Party of Britain was founded in September 1989 by Muslims who had grown dissatisfied with the Labour Party, a party that has traditionally gained the support of Muslims in Britain. Many Muslims were unhappy with the atheism of Neil Kinnock, the Labour leader, and wanted a party that would cater specifically for the needs of Muslims. Many also felt that both Labour and the Conservatives had not done enough to help Muslims in the controversy over Salman Rushdie's book The Satanic Verses.{{Cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJV7ntJDC2Q|title=Islamic Party of Britain British UK National Television Elections Launch|date=31 March 2013 |via=YouTube}}

Performance

The Islamic Party never achieved a seat in either house of Parliament. Pidcock represented the party in the 1990 Bradford North by-election, earning 800 votes (2.2%), finishing fourth from ten candidates.{{cite web|url=http://by-elections.co.uk/bradford90.html|title=By Election Betting – A Political Betting Blog|work=by-elections.co.uk|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090821055155/http://www.by-elections.co.uk/bradford90.html|archive-date=21 August 2009}}

At the 1992 general election, the party stood candidates in each of the three constituencies in the City of Bradford. All finished in last place, with leader Pidcock in Bradford West performing best, on 471 votes (0.96%).{{cite web|url=http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/i03.htm|title=UK General Election results: April 1992 [Archive]|work=politicsresources.net|access-date=8 June 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811135952/http://www.politicsresources.net/area/uk/ge92/i03.htm|archive-date=11 August 2011|url-status=dead}} It also stood a candidate in Streatham, coming fifth of seven candidates.{{cite web|title=Election Data 1992|url=http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt|publisher=Electoral Calculus|access-date=18 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111015054418/http://www.electoralcalculus.co.uk/electdata_1992ob.txt|archive-date=15 October 2011}}

Relations with other parties

In its first year, Pidcock claimed that his party was planning co-operation with the Green Party.

Members of the party have supported the Respect Party; one of their leading members, home affairs spokesman Mohammad Naseem, stood for and funded the party.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/nov/25/uk.gayrights|title=Gay group tells Galloway to cut ties with donor|last=Muir|first=Hugh|date=25 November 2005|work=The Guardian|access-date=10 February 2010}}

Policies

The party believed in equal treatment under the law regardless of an individual's status, income or ethnicity. The IPB argued that religion is the most important thing in life.{{cite web|url=http://www.mustaqim.co.uk/ipb-archive/policies/thepolicies.htm|title=The Policies: Main Page|work=mustaqim.co.uk}} It called for reform of the British banking system to make it interest-free and Islamic, and for increased trade with the Islamic world. At one time, the party answered questions sent in by readers of its website.{{cite web|url=http://www.mustaqim.co.uk/ipb-archive/question/answers.htm|title=Retrieve An Answer|work=mustaqim.co.uk}} When answering one question, the party argued that homosexuality needed treatment, was not to be tolerated and that homosexuals should be put to death for a "public display of lewdness",{{cite web|url=http://www.mustaqim.co.uk/ipb-archive/question/ans41.htm|title=Question Forum: Islamic View on Homosexuality|work=mustaqim.co.uk}} a policy that was condemned by gay activist Peter Tatchell.