IN a revolting display of dhimmitude, Tower Hamlets Council in East London have told non-Muslim councillors that they must not eat or drink in committee meetings while Muslims are fasting during Ramadan.
According to the Telegraph today, all members of the council , where 36 percent of the population is Muslim, were sent an email asking them to abide by the restrictions observed by strict Muslims during the “holy” month.
They have also been told that the town hall’s business agenda will be reduced throughout Ramadan to accommodate Muslims, with only seven committee meetings scheduled and special prayer breaks included in the evening events.
Tower Hamlets Council has previously insisted that staff call their Christmas meal the “festive lunch”, replaced Bonfire Night celebrations with a show based on a Bengali folk tale and taken hot cross buns off school menus.
Some councillors on the Labour-run authority claim it is favouring one religious group over the others.
Cllr Stephanie Eaton, leader of the Lib Dem group, said she would be ignoring the new Ramadan regime and added:
Lib-Dem Cllr Stephanie Eaton intends defying the Ramadan decree
I was rather disconcerted to see that the arrangements put in place for Ramadan, which we support for Muslim colleagues, have been imposed upon all councillors. We object to the request that non-Muslim councillors observe the fasting rules for Ramadan. This sends out the wrong message to our community.
Our community consists of a huge number of different religions, all of which should be valued.
To accommodate its Muslim councillors, Tower Hamlets has decreed that there will be only seven committee meetings during the month, and tea, coffee, sandwiches and special Muslim snacks called Iftar packs will be on offer in a separate room to the meeting chamber.
But councillors have been told not to start eating until after sunset, both out of courtesy to Muslims and to ensure some of the food is left for them.
In the letter to members, John Williams, the council’s head of democratic services, said:
It is requested that members do not partake of any refreshments until after the Iftar refreshments are served.
A spokesman for the council said:
All that’s being asked for is courtesy to be shown to the sensitivities around some councillors eating during council meetings whilst others in the room are fasting.
Non-Muslim councillors have simply been asked to ensure that there is Iftar food available for Muslim councillors, because in previous years, Muslim councillors wanting to break their fast following prayers had found that the Iftar packs had been eaten.
What a bloody cheek! The council is a SECULAR organisation, and if some councillors want to starve themselves because their primitive, silly superstitions decree that they do, that’s their choice. Leave the rest out of it, you spineless appeasement merchants! And if they want damn Iftar packs, let them let them bring their own.
The Freethinker was founded in 1881 by GW Foote, an outspoken critic of religion. After the publication of 
August 28th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
It seems to me that these guys invite trouble.Fast if you wish but dont expect others to follow just so you can feel better
August 28th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
but i’d wager she’d go non-linear if the Muslims wanted to meet on 25/12 – Christmas Day.
Stephanie Eaton wants it both ways. Typical.
August 28th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I would suggest every UK resident should put in a freedom of information request asking whether their own council has such a policy, and their estimate of the costs for supplying refreshments for religious specific diets. I will with mine.
August 28th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
So pork chops and bacon for all at the council meeting then!
August 28th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
I have just heard Cllr Eaton interviewed on BBC Radio 4, and it appears that this is yet another case of an official body ANTICIPATING outrage. Apparently no demands have been made by Muslim councillors themselves.
This does not, however, make the Council’s plea to non-Muslims to chime in with Ramadan any less objectionable.
August 29th, 2008 at 2:48 am
I think they should put some hot cross buns next to the iftar. “Holy food war! Eat them all and let god sort them out!”
August 29th, 2008 at 11:58 am
Er, Nigel – Christmas Day is a national holiday in this country. So is New Year’s Day. Do you work on either?
Terminus Est – I bet they’d ban hot cross buns from council meetings, along with bagels. ‘Sensitivity’ only works one way with bigots.
August 29th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
The test for these sorts of dietary preferences is to compare with vegetarians. If the council was 36% vegetarians, would it be reasonable to ask the council to provide vegetarian food and to ask other councillors not to eat it? Yes. Would it be reasonable to ask other councillors not to eat meat in front of them? No.
But it is reasonable to schedule meetings to accommodate availability. If councillors prefer to take time off in Ramadan, then it’s reasonable to try to accommodate that (without, of course, inconveniencing other councillors too greatly).
December 6th, 2008 at 1:41 am
To all faiths\Religions\sects etc..
Do whatever the fuck you want to do, i dont care.
But DO NOT expect me to do the same.
To even ask tells me EXACTLY how tolerant you really are.
August 15th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
Lib-Dem Cllr Stephanie Eaton is a fat cow and cant stop eating… thats why shes going to defy it!! what a bunch of pricks most of you are.. getting into a frenzy because someone suggested they should be mindfull… no muslims asked for this.. it was a non-muslim that made the request. yet you idiots have gone on the usual anti-islamic rampage. stop reading the press and get an educated, experienced opinion for a change.