Communist Party of Britain national membership organiser Geoff Bottoms told the party’s political committee on Wednesday evening that “new Labour ministers should stop demonising Britain’s Muslims.” He said that, instead, ministers should “start addressing the real causes of terrorism, which are rooted in the policies of British and US imperialism.”

Mr Bottoms added: “Jack Straw’s criticism of the full veil worn by a small minority of Muslims has nothing to do with women’s liberation, while Ruth Kelly’s threat to excommunicate Muslim organisations which criticise government foreign policy will do nothing to foster community cohesion,” adding that “her approach befits her membership of the ultra-right-wing Roman Catholic sect Opus Dei.”

The committee welcomed the stand taken by university vice-chancellors and students and lecturers’ unions against government plans for them to inform on Muslim and “Asian-looking” students to Special Branch.

Morning Star, 20 October 2006