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The National
25-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
Local elections could witness 'sea change' in growth of UK Muslim politics
The growing influence of Muslim voters in Britain could bring about a 'massive sea change' and create a milestone shift in local elections next week, The National has learnt. With four independent MPs winning seats in last year's general election, the momentum of the growing power base of Britain's four million Muslims is expected to continue in the May 1 poll. Victories are expected for Muslims standing as part of a political movement in towns across Lancashire, northern England, and elsewhere, providing a base for future polls. Mohammed Iqbal, an independent Muslim candidate standing in Pendle, Lancashire, told The National that, due to the Gaza conflict and Labour and Conservative policies, people were becoming 'resentful' towards the national parties. 'The Labour government is losing people traditionally from the Muslim community and there's no other political party for the Muslim vote to go to, hence the reason that the independents movement will grow,' he said. Mr Iqbal, who emphasised that he was 'British first, Muslim second', added that independent councillors like himself 'stepping up successfully' would probably lead to other Muslims going into politics. In the 2024 general election, Labour, which had been criticised for its support of Israel following the October 7 attacks, suffered a 28 per cent drop in votes from Muslims, who traditionally had voted for the party. Muslim political groups have since been organising 'and are making a big play for this' following the successful pro-Palestinian vote last year, said Dr Alan Mendoza, director of the Henry Jackson Society think tank. Given many areas could have a five-way split between the parties, there was a strong chance that some Muslim independents will get elected. 'If this knocks out the other parties and if Muslim voters in Britain are now switching to what is to all intents and purposes a Muslim political party that is a massive sea change in UK politics,' said Dr Mendoza, who is also a Conservative councillor. Given that a lot of wards are rural, where Muslim voters are not concentrated, it will not be until next year when many cities have elections that it could have a possible major impact as a wave effect is targeted. 'They may make a massive breakthrough then when all the cities are up for grabs,' he added. 'But this is not simply about Gaza, it's about more than simply a foreign policy agenda, because it's also an agenda for Muslims in the UK.' But the coming poll has not been without controversy, with some politicians raising fears of 'religious sectarian politics' after pro-Gaza activists told Muslims who to back in High Wycombe Buckinghamshire. Logos of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and Palestine on the Ballot, on the materials circulated in the area, have raised hackles. In a video posted on X, former Conservative minister Steve Baker condemned those encouraging local Muslims to vote for council candidates 'on the basis of their position on Israel and Palestine'. 'What people have done by voting on religious lines is to promote fear and hatred among the mainstream of British people who detest religious sectarianism in politics,' said Mr Baker, who is now a former MP. 'I shall certainly vote for candidates who say 'no' to religious sectarian politics.' Former cabinet minister David Jones said he could see the Muslim vote increasing, following momentum from the general election last July. But he also raised concerns about reports of the Muslim Brotherhood, considered a terrorist organisation and by several Arab countries including the UAE, becoming more established in Britain. 'This is an issue that needs to be treated with extreme care and sensitivity,' he said. 'I believe that British politicians want Muslims to become involved with mainstream parties and not to put themselves in a political dead end.' The elections will also be a major test for the populist right wing Reform party on whether it too can carry on its momentum from 2024 election in which is secured more than four million votes, nearly 15 per cent of the electorate. The party is expected to take a large chunk of the 900 seats being defended by the Conservatives and some of the 300 defended by Labour, with the Tories braced to lose up to 500 councillors. 'This is very important for Reform, because at the moment they are enjoying increasing popularity and significant forward momentum,' said Mr Jones. 'They will need a good set of local elections to show that momentum is being maintained.' Current predictions, according to the Electoral Calculus model, show that Reform and the Conservatives are on 25 per cent each, with Labour on 18 per cent and the Lib Dems on 17 per cent. Reform is predicted to edge the Conservatives with both getting about 700 seats – with Labour on 400 and the Lib Dems on 300. If Reform does win seats and councils, that will be when their 'difficulties start' warned Dr Mendoza, as being in government 'will be a real test as you have to run councils, and that's not so easy'. The governing Labour party will also be nervously examining the results, with the threat from pro-Palestinian parties splitting its vote and Reform particularly eating into its numbers, that could also see Nigel Farage's party win the parliamentary by-election seat of Runcorn and Helsby in Cheshire. But the biggest impact could be on the faltering leadership of Kemi Badenoch, who took over the Conservative Party from former prime minister Rishi Sunak in November. 'Kemi is going to be sweating on it,' a senior Conservative source said. 'She's already tried to dampen down expectations but there's an awful lot of disillusionment with her in the Commons.' He added that if Ms Badenoch 'continues not to make any progress' then she would be 'vulnerable' come November, the earliest moment she can be challenged for the leadership after being a year in post.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
ABC and EGYM join forces to expand market reach and bring smarter, personalized fitness experiences to more gyms worldwide
ABC Fitness and EGYM Dallas, Texas, April 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ABC Fitness, a global leader in fitness technology management software, today announced a new partnership with EGYM, a leading provider of smart fitness solutions. This collaboration will integrate EGYM workout tracking and analysis technology as the exclusive workout tracking and analysis technology across ABC Fitness' Trainerize, Ignite, and Glofox platforms. In turn, EGYM will position ABC Fitness as the sole preferred member management system within the global fitness market, expanding ABC Fitness' reach across Europe and the Middle East. By integrating their best-in-class technologies, the partnership will drive innovation, expand market reach, and deliver AI-powered solutions that enhance the member experience, empowering fitness operators to build more connected memberships. 'Our collaboration with EGYM is an important path to redefine the entire landscape of fitness tech to deliver a differentiated personalized member experience and unlocking even more personalization for fitness operators and members alike,' said Mohammed Iqbal, Chief Strategy Officer, ABC Fitness. 'By combining our strengths, we are not only broadening our global opportunities but also creating a holistic, integrated member experience that brings together training, tracking, and management in a new way.' ABC Fitness will integrate EGYM workout and analysis tracking into its mobile app solutions, which will include connecting to EGYM's BioAge, a metric that determines a user's fitness age in terms of strength, flexibility, metabolism and endurance. Additionally, EGYM allows ABC Fitness customers to map their gym equipment, enabling the creation of hyper personalized workouts based on available machines. A proof-of-concept will be released and showcased at the FIBO Annual Conference in April 2025, with general availability expected later this year. 'Our partnership with ABC Fitness will help bring our smart fitness solutions to a broader audience, expanding the types of data and services that gyms and studios can offer their members,' said John Ford, CPO, EGYM. 'This collaboration aligns with our vision to bridge the gap between expert exercise products and everyday fitness enthusiasts, ensuring that every workout is effective, engaging, and data-driven.' According to ABC Fitness' Q1 2025 Wellness Watch Report, 31% of consumers have used virtual fitness trainers or workout generators. This partnership enables gyms and studios to transform their mobile apps into comprehensive health and fitness tools for their members, enhancing member engagement, delivering greater value, and generating deeper data insights, which supports growth and retention. More details on this partnership will be available in the coming weeks. About ABC Fitness ABC Fitness is the number one technology provider for fitness businesses everywhere. Simplifying club and member management for 40+ years via scalable solutions, ABC Fitness' innovations transform fitness visions into seamless reality. From personal trainers, boutique studios, and gyms, to international franchise health clubs, ABC Fitness provides the technology and industry insights needed to move your business forward. ABC Fitness currently supports more than 40 million members and 30K+ fitness businesses globally, processing over $12 billion in payments every year. Learn more at About EGYM EGYM is a global leader in fitness technology and corporate wellness with the vision of transforming healthcare from repair to prevention. EGYM Wellpass partners with companies to improve employee health by providing access to fitness and health facilities and EGYM Technology equips those facilities with smart gym equipment and digital solutions to offer an AI-driven workout experience for people of all skill levels. Corporates benefit from reduced healthcare costs and increased productivity, while clubs gain a growing, engaged membership base. Attachment ABC Fitness and EGYM CONTACT: Hilary Strath ABC Fitness 6042181958 press@ in to access your portfolio
Middle East Eye
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed attacks Sky News for false antisemitism accusation
Independent MP Iqbal Mohamed has condemned Sky News after a presenter falsely suggested he had been suspended from Labour for alleged antisemitism. Sky News interviewer Sophy Ridge apparently confused him with a former Labour councillor named Mohammed Iqbal, with whom the parliamentarian has no connection. Speaking in an interview with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Ridge said Mohamed had been suspended from Labour for allegedly making antisemitic comments. "The ease with which the mainstream media throw around baseless allegations of antisemitism against those critical of Israel's genocidal actions against the Palestinians is deeply concerning and shameful," Mohamed told Middle East Eye on Thursday. The incident took place during an interview on Sky News on Tuesday with Corbyn, who led Labour from 2015 to 2020. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Corbyn was expelled from Labour by his successor Keir Starmer in October 2020 after saying that claims of antisemitism in the party during his time as leader had been "overstated" for political reasons. Though Labour readmitted Corbyn as a member in November 2020, it refused to let him continue as a Labour MP. In 2024 Corbyn was re-elected in Islington North as an independent, comfortably defeating a Labour candidate after predictions that his seat was under threat proved to be misplaced. Iqbal Mohamed or Mohammed Iqbal? During Tuesday's interview, Ridge asked Corbyn about his fellow members of the Independent Alliance, a grouping of five independent MPs elected last July on a pro-Palestine platform. "Mohammed Iqbal was suspended from Labour after allegedly making antisemitic comments at a meeting," Ridge said, apparently referring to Iqbal Mohamed, who is an MP in the Independent Alliance. UK election 2024: Pro-Palestine candidate wins with thumping majority in Dewsbury & Batley Read More » "If you feel it is wrong that you have been expelled from Labour for these reasons, you're not really helping the case for the defence here, are you?" Ridge appears to have mistaken Mohamed for Mohammed Iqbal, a former Labour councillor in Lancashire who was suspended in 2022 for allegedly making antisemitic comments during a council debate. In the version of the interview available to watch on YouTube, the segment has been edited out. MEE understands that Sky News also issued an on-air apology. Mohamed told MEE on Thursday that he was concerned by the "ease with which the mainstream media throw around baseless allegations of antisemitism against those critical of Israel's genocidal actions against the Palestinians". He added: "It is a cheap and damaging smear. Sky informed my team it had issued an on-air clarification and apology but this should never have happened in the first place. "If their journalist had been bothered, a five-minute internet search would have clarified the matter." During the interview, Corbyn defended his fellow Independent Alliance MPs, saying: "They are good colleagues and they're very good at representing their constituency, and very determined to bring about peace and justice for the Palestinian people. "They have exactly the same views as all the rest of us, that racism is an evil in society. They have themselves suffered racism as Muslim people. They do not want to put the same onto Jewish people." 'Politics has been hijacked' Mohamed, who was born and raised in Dewsbury, is an engineer and IT consultant whose parents arrived from India in the 1960s. Formerly a Labour member, he quit over now-Prime Minister Keir Starmer's support for Israel's war on Gaza in late 2023, including a total blockade on food, water and power entering the besieged territory. 'If their journalist had been bothered, a five-minute internet search would have clarified the matter' - Iqbal Mohamed MP Mohamed entered parliament last July after being elected in the West Yorkshire constituency of Dewsbury and Batley with a thumping majority. He secured 15,641 votes, winning with 41.1 percent of the total vote share, whilst the Labour Party candidate Heather Iqbal received 8,707 votes, or 22.9 percent of the vote share. Standing on a pro-Palestine platform and in defence of local issues such as the cost of living crisis and the failing NHS, Mohamed said during the election that "politics has been hijacked by the corrupt, selfish, pro-war, racist elite and is being used against us". MEE has contacted Sky News for comment.
Arab News
22-03-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi Arabia sees surging prices for religious tourism amid Ramadan rush
RIYADH: Ramadan is a highly popular period to perform the Umrah pilgrimage, and travel agencies and tour operators are cashing in on the festive rush. Flights from Riyadh to Jeddah are seeing increased demand and surging prices. 'There was an offer on Saudi Founding Day so some people got cheaper tickets, but with the beginning of Ramadan tickets went up,' said Mohammad Aslam Jameel, a travel company supervisor in Riyadh. 'If you are traveling now to Jeddah, the round-trip tickets will cost about SR1,700 ($453) to SR2,000.' There are comparatively cheaper tickets for odd timings, but they, too, will total about SR1,500 now to SR 2,000 during Qiyam — the last 10 days of Ramadan — he added. Umrah travel operators in Riyadh have almost doubled the price of the bus tour package to SR200 per person, Mohammed Iqbal, who recently booked an Umrah pilgrimage, told Arab News. 'The huge rush was due to the holy month of Ramadan since most of the people want to spend these days in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah,' he said. An employee of Al-Fajr, a tour operator in the city, also added that the increased prices were due to surging demand. Ticket prices for international flights, too, have soared on dates close to Eid Al-Fitr as many expatriates plan to travel back home. Asif Ahmed, an Indian working in Riyadh and traveling home for the Eid celebration with his family, told Arab News: 'When I had checked the price with the tour operator for the same period two months ago for a round trip, it was about SR2,000. Now the tickets prices for the round trip have soared to SR4,000.' Syed Faiz Ahmad, a Pakistani expat working in Yanbu, told Arab News: 'It's my 28th year staying in Saudi Arabia. During my early years the cost of air tickets for travel to my native country during Eid was not much, but as the time has passed all airlines have started to raise the prices exorbitantly amid (the) festive rush. 'This has become economically challenging to travel home during holidays especially with family.' Saudi Arabia's religious tourism sector is experiencing remarkable growth, with data revealing a sharp rise in travel demand for 2024 and 2025. Findings from travel booking platform Skyscanner highlight the increasing global interest in pilgrimage travel. With early 2025 travel data already reflecting strong demand, the trend of growing religious tourism is expected to continue. January 2025 saw a 21 percent year-on-year increase in flight searches to Saudi Arabia, with peak travel interest centered around March 2025 — coinciding with the start of Ramadan. Findings for 2024 also revealed spikes around Ramadan (March–April) and Hajj (June). Madinah has emerged as a key destination for travelers interested in pilgrimage, with searches for flights to Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz International Airport rising by 54 percent year-on-year. Religious tourism remains a cornerstone of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 strategy, serving as a key pillar in the Kingdom's economic transformation. Significant investments are being made to improve infrastructure, expand flight routes and enhance the pilgrim experience. Key projects such as the Makkah Route Initiative for Hajj pilgrims and the Haramain High-Speed Railway are instrumental in these efforts. Countering the trend of surging prices, the railway offered discounts on two-way travel between Makkah and Madinah during the first 20 days of Ramadan. The railway has also increased Makkah-Madinah trips for the final 10 days of Ramadan to accommodate the surge in Umrah performers during Qiyam Al-Layl, with 130 additional daily trips added, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Haramain High-Speed Railway, among the world's fastest railways with a speed of 300 km per hour, also increased station gate capacity from eight to 24 and added two terminals.
