A councillor has been slammed for sharing a comment on twitter saying he “can’t wait til he introduces Shariah Law in Ilford”.


Cllr Khayer Chowdhury, of Valentine’s ward, shared the comment last night (Monday March 18) in response to an Islamophobic tweet from Senator Fraser Anning of Australia which said: “I can see what has happened in the UK where 429 Muslims are in political office and now hold massive influence over law making including introducing Sharia Law.


“Islam is not compatible with Australia and our politics.”

In reply, Cllr Chowdhury shared Anning’s tweet and said: “I’m one of them. Can’t wait til I introduce Shariah Law in Ilford.”

Cllr Chowdhury has since “unreservedly” apologised for the comments and said his attempts to satirise the comments of Senator Anning were “ill-advised” and “inappropriate.”

The now-deleted tweet was also liked by cabinet member for civic pride, Cllr John Howard.

Sharia Law is a set of religious regulations set out to govern the lives of Muslims.

The law separates behaviours and actions into categories: mandatory, recommended, neutral, abhorred and prohibited.

Some Sharia councils in the UK, which operate like courts, have been accused in the national press of “protecting wife beating men by sabotaging criminal proceedings.”

In 2016 Pragna Patel, a spokeswoman for Southall Black Sisters, wrote an opinion piece in the national Guardian highlighting what her organisation felt was the problematic disconnect between Sharia councils and the treatment of minority women in the UK.

Countries that practice the strictest forms of Sharia Law make use of capital punishment, or the death penalty, for behaviours including adultery, homosexuality and blasphemy.

Method of death can vary from stoning, hanging, firing squad and beheadings. Public executions have been used in the past to deter certain behaviours.

Attempts to impose Sharia Law on non-Muslims have been reported as the cause for inter-communal violence in Nigeria and have been cited as a potential cause for the break up of Sudan.

Cllr Chowdhury’s comment came in the context of other Muslim councillors in Redbridge challenging Senator Anning’s Islamophobic comments.

Cabinet member for housing, Cllr Farah Hussain, shared Anning’s comment and said: “Proud to be one of the 429. Don’t remember the Sharia Law vote though.”

Cllr Khayer Chowdhury said: “I deleted the tweet as soon as I realised it could have caused offence and I apologise unreservedly. My attempt to satirise the reprehensible comments made by Senator Fraser Anning was ill-judged and inappropriate.”

Cllr Linda Huggett, Redbridge Conservatives’ group leader, said: “We agree it was ill advised and we think Cllr Chowdhury should think very carefully about what he says in future, especially in these very sensitive times.”

Redbridge Council and Cllr Howard were also contacted for comment.