Labour candidate in Batley and Spen by-election left ‘intimidated’ by anti-LGBT protester
The Labour candidate in the Batley and Spen by-election has been left “intimidated” by an anti-LGBT protester who pursued her outside a mosque, as a senior MP warned abuse of female MPs is getting worse.
Kim Leadbeater, who is running for Labour in the by-election on July 1, said she had faced “abuse” on Friday by Shakeel Afsar, an activist who led protests against LGBT teaching outside schools in Birmingham.
Videos posted by Mr Afsar on Instagram show him pursuing Ms Leadbeater along Purlwell Lane in Batley, next to one of the town’s mosques.
He can be heard shouting: “Muslim parents don’t want their children to learn about LGBT indoctrination. Are you supporting those, Kim?”
Ms Leadbeater, who is the sister of the murdered MP Jo Cox, later said she felt “extremely intimidated” by the incident, while Caroline Nokes, chairman of the women and equalities select committee, said abuse of politicians had increased.
“From my perspective it feels as if the abuse is getting worse,” she told The Telegraph.
“It feels as if the abuse is specifically targeted at female MPs and candidates… for their ethnicity, sexual orientation and religion.
“It’s incumbent on all of us to try to make politics more decent, and incumbent on political parties to make sure candidates are supported and measures are put in place to stop this hideous behaviour from happening.”
In an interview after the incident on Friday, Ms Leadbeater said: "It's been a tough day today to be honest. We were out campaigning outside one of the local mosques and then suddenly there was a big group of mainly men I would say, who started shouting at me in the street.
"We need debate, we need discussion, we need disagreement, but we don't need abuse. We don't need intimidation.”
The Labour candidate said she was “worried about some of the more sinister elements of other people's campaigns” and accused George Galloway, who is also running in the by-election, of standing and laughing as the incident took place.
“It's very upsetting to think that other people think they have got a right to come in and cause disruption and sow division,” she said.
“It's the last thing this community needs."
A spokesman for Mr Galloway denied any involvement in the incident on Thursday and the claim that he laughed.
“We condemn any such behavior where political opponents are feeling threatened or harassed,” the spokesman said, adding there was “no link to our campaign”.
Mr Afsar has been banned from protesting outside the Anderton Park Primary in Birmingham, where he led demonstrations against teaching children about LGBT relationships.
During the 2019 election campaign, Mr Afsar clashed with the Birmingham Labour MP Jess Phillips, who accused him of “damaging the reputation of a peaceful and loving community”.
Labour MPs on Friday night took to Twitter to defend Ms Leadbeater after the incident.
Dawn Butler, MP for Brent Central, said the incident was “beyond unacceptable,” while Dan Jarvis, MP for Barnsley, called Mr Afsar’s behaviour “repugnant”.
“She should not have to put up with this, but as ever she displays her decency, dignity and indefatigability in standing against this bile,” he said.
The incident comes after weeks of tense campaigning in Batley, where Mr Galloway’s campaign has focused on the shortcomings of Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership for Muslim voters.
Earlier this month, five Muslim groups wrote to Sir Keir to accuse him of “taking their votes for granted” in the Batley and Spen by-election.
The area has a large Muslim population and both Ms Leadbeater and Mr Galloway have declared their support for Palestine over recent conflict in the Middle East.
One of Ms Leadbeater’s leaflets expressed support for Muslims involved in the Kashmir border dispute.
On Friday night, Sir Keir said: “The abuse Kim Leadbeater has faced is disgraceful. George Galloway’s poisonous politics have no place in our country.
“The best way people can counter it is by voting for Labour and Kim next Thursday.”
