Labour leader Ed Miliband was challenged on a range of issues by Muslim women at the launch of The Bradford Circle, a new initiative by the Muslim Women's Council.
He was asked about a wide variety of issues, from the international, to education, representation and equality. The Bradford Circle event was held on Saturday 9th June at the National Media Museum, Bradford, BD1 1NQ. The event was attended by over 60 women, mostly from the Bradford Muslim community, and reflecting a range of ages, occupations and professions.
Mr Miliband was attending the specially arranged meeting at the National Media Museum in Bradford, organiseded by Muslim Women's Council's Bradford Director, Selina Ullah.
After a brief introductory speech, in which he highlighted how seriously he took the need for the Labour Party to engage with all sections of the community and take no one for granted, Mr Miliband answered questions from attendees and listened to concerns. Asked about UK intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq, he reiterated his belief that the Iraq war had been wrongly entered into, but reaffirmed his view that the UK's involvement in Afghanistan was important, highlighting that his visits there and discussions with Afghan leaders had shown the benefits, such as improved educational access for women.
Education was also a topic about which the audience was keen to hear the Labour leader's views, and he was pressed for his views on the withdrawal of the EMA (Educational Maintenance Allowance) and the difficulties young people who had stayed in education faced gaining employment on leaving college. He highlighted the efforts the previous government had made to help young people not in employment, education or training. He said he recognised that the task that would face a new Labour government would be like rebuilding Humpty Dumpty, and he wanted input from anyone with ideas about how it should best be done.
Although only due to be at the event for one hour, Mr Miliband decided to miss his train and spend longer with the audience, and was asked how he could regain trust from those who had deserted the Labour Party. He stated he was keen not to make promises and then break them, and believed it was better to under-promise and over-deliver, contrasting with commitment pre-election by Mr Cameron to not impose any more change on the NHS, and then doing just that once elected.
Bana Gora, speaking for the Muslim Women's Council thanked Mr Miliband, and stated that the organisation were keen to continue engagement with all political parties, as well as other community leaders in business, the voluntary and not-for-profit sectors.
The MWC are arranging further meetings over the coming year with other senior politicians from across the political spectrum, business leaders, academics and other speakers from different sectors.
