MP Khalid Mahmood says ''F*** Off MPACUK'' in a Church Hustings!
I went to a hustings in Handsworth Wood, a fairly calm affair organised by a church group, mainly older people in attendance, all questions were pre-arranged, almost no heckling, people were told when to clap, when to get up and stretch their legs, what order to ask their questions in. I was so bored at the civility of it all I almost fell asleep on the front row.
However, as the hustings drew to a close a request was made by the Chair (a Reverend), for the PPC’s and MP to mingle with the people, so I thought I'd take my shot and ask Khalid Mahmood a few questions. But before I could get to Khalid, one of his supporters came up to me and said:
''I heard you're a new party,'' to which I replied, "No, I’m not part of any party". He retorted, ''You're standing in the election - what’s your party's name?'' I explained that we were an organisation called MPACUK and we that we didn’t support any parties. "We are just anti-HIM!!" pointing to Khalid. "And we want Khalid Mahmood to lose!"
At this point, the middle-aged guy said, ''Son, when a Muslim is standing and another Muslim opposes him, they become a kaffir.''
I was temporarily shocked, partly at the stupidity of the statement and partly at the conviction with which he said it and I replied, ''Who are you to call me a kaffir?'' to which he replied, ''I can because you are opposing Khalid." So I asked him, ''Who are you to give a fatwa like that? What’s your education, Islamic background? What mosque/dar ul uloom have you attended? Where’s your evidence - do you have Ijaza?'' He responded, ''I am an educated Muslim and I am able to give a fatwa, but give me your phone number I want to meet with you and talk to you in private.''. At first, I was reluctant to give my phone number to such a deluded individual but then I thought what’s the worst he can do - breathe down the phone heavily?? At that point, the man himself, Khalid Mahmood, entered the scene ...
Khalid said, ''Welcome MPACUK. Are you campaigning against me??" To which I replied, ''Alhumdhulliah," (he didn’t like that). I gave him 'Salaam' and shook his hand. He said, "What's going on?’’ I answered, "Your mate here has called me a Kaffir." He said, "You guys called me a kaffir on your website." I said, "I’ve never called you a kaffir." He then diverted the conversation and asked why we were campaigning. I said, "Because when you were elected, we had high hopes for you. You were one of us and yet in Parliament you voted with the Government and you refused to oppose the war in Iraq and have supported the war in Afghanistan.'' Khalid said, "You guys know jack shit. The reason I didn’t vote in the third vote was because I already supported an EDM opposing the war and voted for that and I couldn’t vote for the third vote because of what was attached to it.'' (He was too angry to make any sense). Then he went onto say, ''Idiots! Those two idiots, they don’t know what they are talking about.'' I said ''Khalid, don’t swear. There’s no need to swear.'' He said', "I’m not swearing - I’m calling you idiots." Then he went on a rant about how ''diverse my constituency is and how I work hard, day-to-day talking to people on the streets and MPACUK are out their spreading lies and turning people against me. You don’t know what you are doing.'' I interrupted and asked, ''What lies??'' and he said ''You know jack sh*t.'' (Eloquent, as always).
Then he mentioned that he resigned from the Labour Party because of Tony Blair and we were hypocrites to oppose him and that I should, ''Fock off! Just fock off!'' and stormed off to shake hands with some other people...
All of this in a church in earshot of at least 20/30 people..what a crackpot!!
Then his lackey (the one who called me kaffir) told me that I was a young man who has been misguided and I need to go to his house to discuss Khalid over tea...
I said, ''What, and be sworn at??’’ He said, ''You're swearing at Khalid by putting out leaflets." I said, "Show me a swear or a lie in the leaflet''...to which he said '"Putting out leaflets is swearing at him." I said, ''OK, Uncle'' ... and then he went to stand like a good puppy next to Khalid...
What an eventful day....
We have Khalid riled and I get the impression MPACUK literature is making a difference on the ground.
