A Reform Party member was booed and jeered at during a speech opposing a North London council’s decision to twin with the Palestinian city of Nablus.
He inaccurately described Nablus as a “hotbed of militancy and terrorism” but was met with cries of “lies” and “slurs” from the public gallery. Unlike the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, where Nablus is located, is not governed by the proscribed terrorist group Hamas.
A petition opposing Brent Council’s recent decision to twin the borough with Nablus was presented to the administration at the meeting on Monday (7 July).
The creator, Ian Collier, was the Reform Party candidate for West Brent at the recent General Election where he came last with 4.98% of the vote.
Addressing the chamber, Mr Collier told cllrs he was representing a group of residents who are “utterly opposed and very upset” about the twinning arrangement. He referred to the move as “nothing more than political symbolism” and “generated purely on sectarian grounds”.
Council Leader, Cllr Muhammed Butt, said the twinning is “not about endorsing any religious belief or political ideology” but about “peace, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding”.
A visibly angry Mr Collier accused the council of having “created division within the borough” and alleged that it is “driving a wedge between different communities”.
Nablus sits in the West Bank – a landlocked territory illegally occupied by Israel in a war in 1967. Whilst Hamas has controlled Gaza since its takeover in 2007, Fatah, a nationalist and social democratic political party, administers areas in the West Bank.
Fatah has recognised Israel, said it renounced terrorism in 1988 and seeks a two-state solution for a Palestinian homeland, whilst Hamas is committed to the destruction of Israel.
Mr Collier described the application as “controversial, damaging to community cohesion, divisive, destabilising and disruptive, inflammatory, and sectarian in nature”. He suggested those cllrs who voted for it, as well as those who abstained, “should feel ashamed of themselves”.
It should be noted that other UK cities, such as Sheffield and Dundee, already have twinning arrangements with Nablus.
Mr Collier added: “The names on the ‘Say No To Nablus’ petition are almost entirely English sounding names, European sounding, Jewish sounding, Hindu, Sikh, Jain sounding. […] However, there’s one group that is missing, there are hardly any Muslim sounding names on that petition.
“This should be no surprise to the council as your own report on it suggested that it would drive a wedge between different communities. Despite this knowledge, the council willingly and wilfully voted to proceed with the plans. This is a dereliction of your duty.”
The Mayor, Cllr Ryan Hack, had to interject during the speech to remind those in the public gallery not to interrupt Mr Collier, amidst cries of “lies”, “slurs”, and “rubbish”. Upon finishing his speech, Mr Collier was booed and heckled by segments of the public gallery.
Cllr Butt said that, despite their different views on the matter, “it is important that [Mr Collier’s] voice is heard” and recognised that the petitioners “care deeply about [the] borough”.
He also responded to the point about how there weren’t any “Muslim sounding names” on the petition by questioning how his name and those of other Muslim cllrs had in fact ended up being on the list. He said: “I am trying to understand, it may have been an oversight.”
Brent Council’s equality analysis states that it is important to recognise that the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas is “highly contentious and polarising”. Cllr Butt pointed to Brent being a “place of many cultures and faiths” and emphasised the council’s duty to ensure that every resident “feels safe, respected and heard”.
He said: “The forthcoming twinning of Brent with Nablus is not about endorsing any religious belief or political ideology. I am quite clear […] that if this twinning is to be a success, it must be about peace, cultural exchange, and mutual understanding.
“The promotion of peace, cultural exchange and mutual understanding are principles that have long guided our borough’s international relationships – and will continue to do so long into the future. I am personally aware of the anxieties raised, and we are not ignoring them. I will be meeting with representatives of Jewish community groups this week to hear those concerns directly.”
He added: “[A new International Partnering Protocol] allows for any arrangement to be reviewed or annulled if it fails to promote peace, understanding, and constructive exchange. Ultimately, the goal must be to build relationships that support, not divide.
“Our diversity continues to be our greatest strength, and I want to emphasise that this is just the beginning of the conversation – looking at the role Brent has to play in promoting peace and community wellbeing on an increasingly complex world stage.”
Brent Conservatives said the group is “disappointed” with the plan and twinning decisions “must reflect the views of all communities across our borough”.
They added: “Brent Conservatives remain deeply concerned that the decision to twin with Nablus has been rushed, politically driven, and made without adequate engagement with large sections of the community.”
