UKIP campaign against the Dudley Mosque strengthened

From the Chairman of UKIP Dudley & Halesowen, Bill Ethridge ...

UKIP's ongoing campaign against the siting of the planned mega mosque in Dudley has been strengthened with the announcement that it is being backed by local Muslims.

Shazadi Shah who joined the UKIP's local Dudley branch in part because of it's principled opposition to the current plans for the mosque

Ms Shah said,"I'm a Muslim, and I'm Dudley born and bred. I believe that the issues surrounding the mosque are simple, and the concerns of the vast majority of the 70,000 locals who signed the petition against it could be settled if we took the common sense approach proposed by UKIP.

We have no problem with the current Muslim centre expanding to serve the greater numbers of Muslims who live in Dudley  But to have the Mosque sited at the top of the Hill dominating our historic town centre and towering over the castle, the great symbol of Dudley is if nothing else insensitive.

The whole issue of the mosque has soured community elations for years and has caused resident to turn against resident.

As the whole Mosque issue has been going on for such a long time the Mosque Community Members could have decided on leaving this particular site and may well have even built a better Mosque with all the facilities such as a funeral centre which is much needed., on an alternative site suiting all the Community". " Has this just been a political issue for the Members?"

As a Muslim woman, I do not believe the management committee  of the mosque when they claim to be open to all, as over the years, my family,and other families of the the Shia Muslim community have been barred access to the facilities run by the Committee. Over the years it has been clear to us that this is an exclusive organisation, not the inclusive one that they claim. The plans that they have, supported by the local Labour dominated borough council are not about taking part in the public life of Dudley, but about dominating the town and lording over the people who live here.

Good citizens, good neighbours do not do things like that."

She went on, "I am delighted to be joining UKIP, not just because it opposes the mosque in its present form, but because it is a party that is open toall and listens to the concerns of all. I have been impressed by the hands on work of local representatives, who spend their time trying to make life better for all who live in our proud town".