UK: Ex-Muslim Ally of “Tommy Robinson” Attacks Scottish “Racism”

MAAJID NAWAZ is the political establishment’s favourite ex-Muslim. Co-founder of the ‘anti-extremist’ Quilliam Foundation, Nawaz had been a member of the Islamic fundamentalist faction Hizb ut-Tahrir during his years as a student in London, but he later became a high-profile defector and critic of HUT and of what he portrays as a broader Islamist movement.

During 2013 Nawaz forged a curious political alliance with Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, alias ‘Tommy Robinson’, founder of the English Defence League, and promoted ‘Robinson’ across the mainstream media following the latter’s split from the EDL. ‘Robinson’ later claimed that he had been on the Quilliam Foundation’s payroll for about six months.

Both Nawaz and ‘Robinson’ are enthusiastic supporters of Israel, and Nawaz became a Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate. During 2016-2018 there was a legal dispute between Nawaz and the American ‘anti-racist’ organisation Southern Poverty Law Center, after the SPLC labelled Nawaz and his Quilliam group “anti-Muslim extremists”. The SPLC eventually apologised and paid Quilliam more than $3m.

However Nawaz continues to be a controversial character, with some critics doubting the veracity of his stories about the reasons for his embrace and rejection of Islamism. H&D readers can judge for themselves — all we can state for certain is that Nawaz’s account of having been persecuted by rampaging Combat 18 gangs during his youth in Southend is obvious nonsense. As with so much ‘expert’ commentary on the ‘far right’, it is self-evident fantasy, as many H&D readers who actually know the history of C18 etc. will instantly realise.

Now Nawaz has launched an attack on the “racism” of Scottish nationalists, including some within the impeccably liberal, multi-racialist SNP. He writes:

Violent hostility to outsiders and critics is in the DNA of nationalists, whether on the Left and Right, as anyone who has debated with SNP can testify to. When that outsider has different colour skin the rage seems to be heighted [sic].

While H&D is no friend of the SNP, it is obvious that what Nawaz really objects to here is not so much Scottish independence (which many of our readers would oppose equally passionately). What Nawaz really hates is the politics of national identity, cultural identity, and racial identity. With one exception of course. He absolutely loves Israel.

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Source: Heritage and Destiny