Tory anti-gay candidate fails to be elected in Newham

A Tory candidate who believes Ofsted is seeking to impose a “homosexual agenda on schools” has failed to be elected in east London.

Mufti Shah Sadruddin unsuccessfully stood a Conservative Party local candidate in Newham.

Labour has taken every council seat in the borough for the second year running.

PinkNews reported last week of how Mr Sadruddin delivered a sermon at the London Muslim Centre in 2012 where he suggested that you couldn’t offend “homosexuals”, “lesbians”, “Jews”, and even animals but that society felt it was permissible to offend the Prophet Mohamad.

In a YouTube video Mr Sadruddin referred to “the gays” and said that because Jews “have this Holocaust”, Muslims should fight for “rights”.

He added: “We have to create a revolution for our rights. The gays can get their rights…but when Islam is being abused we can’t even save it.”

In December last year, Mr Sadruddin posted on his Facebook page: “Parents warned about Ofsted imposing homosexual agenda on schools.”

The Conservative Party’s LGBT group expressed its dismay and concern at the language of Mr Sadruddin.

However, Mr Sadruddin and the Newham Conservative Association failed to respond to requests by PinkNews to comment.

Conservative Party Central Office said it was a matter for the local association.

Tom Burke, National Co-Chair of LGBTLabour said the candidacy of Mr Sadruddin raised questions about the Conservative Party’s vetting process.

Labour London Assembly Member Tom Copley tweeted to say: “You can’t teach children to become gay. You can teach them to become bigots though.”

Conservative Party Central Office last week condemned leaflets claiming that Newham Council was run by “atheists” and “gays”.

Officials said the leaflets were issued without authorisation or approval.

• Nov 29 2023

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