This election must change our conventional wisdom about political participation

London - The upcoming general election is widely presented as a ‘Palestine’ election, with this single issue dominating Muslim voter’s agenda. Whilst its laudable, it does beg the questions, if this vote can have any tangible impact on the ongoing Genocide in Gaza, and if community organising and power building is better invested in more effective strategies. 

For the past two decades of elections, our community has participated in tactical voting with the hope of improving our condition and that of Muslims worldwide. Despite our efforts, the outcomes have yielded minimal shifts in UK national and foreign policies. We must question whether we are being misled to believe that voting alone can achieve our goals, such as freeing Palestine and ending the ongoing genocide.

The conventional wisdom about the nature of elections and participating in Westminster politics needs a comprehensive and informed review. The system absorbs individuals and minorities to neutralise any threat they might pose, demanding the dilution of radical agendas in order to maintain the status quo. For those with the best intentions, we must ask, will rallying the ‘Palestine vote’ truly save Gaza? How effective can independent candidates be in advocating for Palestine within a system that operates on decisions made in the 'national interest' - often with cross-party consensus and based on information kept from the public.

Elections offer us the choice between two factions of the same ruling establishment, while real power resides with big business, military and security elites, lobby groups, and the mainstream media, which significantly constrain the decisions of elected representatives. Our path to freeing Palestine and enacting real change lies in grassroots resistance, direct action, student encampments, digital activism, strategic legal actions, boycotts, and protests to name a few. These methods have proven to be more impactful and effective than any vote.

This is the awakening we need. CAGE International will be publishing new community guidance in a document named the ‘The Conscious Muslim Guide’ to encourage a rethink of our political strategies, and empower our communities to take meaningful action that transcends the ballot box, driving real change for our community and beyond.