Police investigate fears ‘undue’ spiritual influence was used in general election

27 comments

1. Yet parliament was opened this week by a man who believes he is personally appointed by a Christian god?

   No ‘spirits’ there?

2. This is why religions should be kept separate from state. If they interfere with politics then politics should start to impede on religious freedoms, regardless of the church concerned.

3. Something something religion should be kept separate from state to try and prevent election meddling something

4. “Spiritual influence”? I ponder for a moment before clicking the article. Oh, I should have guessed.

5. Makes sense, the old gods of this land are getting stronger and their true return is not far off

6. What a load of nonsense! Wait, which religion was it?

   (overheard at the editorial meeting)

7. No religions of any form or type should be involved in modern day politics, their teachings are so out dated and have no place in the decision making in a modern world.

8. Gutted when I found out they meant religion and not ghosts when I read past the headline

9. You can’t possibly imagine my surprise that it is Islam that is the topic of this conversation! Let’s hope they don’t vote as a borderline hive mind for terribly backwards and regressive things which their 7th century Prophet prescribed! I’m sure this will not become an issue in the future as their numbers continue to rise in the UK!

10. More Telegraph shite on here. More Telegraph shite on here. More Telegraph shite on here. More Telegraph shite on here. More Telegraph shite on here.

11. > A series of messages, seen by The Telegraph, were being circulated among Leicester’s Muslim community via email and WhatsApp and showed that religious leaders were urging voters to get behind particular candidates.

    > In one message, voters are told that the “ulama and the masaajid” of Leicester East, meaning religious leaders and mosques, are endorsing Zuffar Haq, the Liberal Democrat candidate.

    > Members of the community are told that it would be “unwise” for Muslims “not to choose a person of faith who promises never to compromise on Islamic principles”. The message goes on to say that Mr Haq is “Muslim, God-fearing, understands Islamic values and will always stand up for Palestine”.

    A pretty open and shut case as far as I can tell.

12. These guys will flip their lid when they hear about sectarian voting in Northern Ireland. Or the influence of the Church of England in Tory heartlands.

13. It’s only going to get worse. It was 5 Muslim independents this time. Next time it’ll be 25.

    Anybody who dares to speak up is labelled a racist.
    Hitchens said this would happen, back in 2009.

    You brought it on yourself Britain.

14. Interesting to see how this plays out, as there’s no significant precedent for the criminal complaint, and the wording of the statute is pretty vague.

    If anyone’s charged it’ll likely be defended and the court will then have to determine whether the actions have “compelled” people to vote a particular way, and if so, establish whether those actions constitute “undue spiritual pressure”(which will likely involve defining both undue and spiritual pressure in a legal sense).

    The material described in the article don’t appear particularly aggressive or what I would imagine to be “undue”, however I’m not of that religion so I don’t really know from that perspective.

15. “undue spiritual influence”

    Translation:

    “Religious Extremism”

    There we go!

16. >(4)The following activities fall within this subsection—

    >(a)using or threatening to use violence against a person;

    >(b)damaging or destroying, or threatening to damage or destroy, a person’s property;

    >(c)damaging or threatening to damage a person’s reputation;

    >(d)causing or threatening to cause financial loss to a person;

    >(e)causing spiritual injury to, or placing undue spiritual pressure on, a person;

    >(f)doing any other act designed to intimidate a person;

    >(g)doing any act designed to deceive a person in relation to the administration of an election.

    [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/37/part/1/crossheading/undue-influence](https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2022/37/part/1/crossheading/undue-influence)

    There is a lot of “Whataboutism” on this thread. As there is always when similar issues come up.

    Does anyone have objections to this law? Or do you only object when it’s applied?

17. Read the headline was hoping for voodoo and ghosts.
    Sorely disappointed.

18. Rees Mogg was Out of Mana during the election.

    He walked through walls, he clanked his ghostly victorian butler’s chains. He even did the faces from BeetleJuice.

    All to no avail. Now he’s slowly fading…fading…fading away

19. Don’t understand which part of the message is problematic

20. Funny how this is evidence of a secret evil Islamist takeover, yet it’s crickets on this sub when rabbis told Jews to not vote for Corbyn last election, and there was a Hindu manifesto signed by dozens of candidates this election.

    Islamist takeover: flirting

    Jewish takeover: harassment

21. Oh good, another Muslim bashing thread.

    Let’s not forget Jewish spiritual leaders were telling their followers not to vote for Corbyn, and you think the CoE isn’t pushing views during fete’s, and bake sales?

    I hate to tell you, but people vote for others for a variety of reasons, some of which may well be down to their spiritual beliefs.

22. The Board of Deputies of British Jews made several overtly polit9cal interventions in recent years. Rightly, the police didn’t think this was a potentially criminal matter.

    I wonder what the difference is?

23. Thanks for importing religious sectarian politics back to Britain Blairites 👍 How long before this is used to block people from being taught about gay people.. like the Birmingham protests.

24. (Waves hand and intones) These aren’t the candidates you are looking for…

    (Repeats dully) These aren’t the candidates I’m looking for…

25. Politics is integral part of of Islam. They congregate every Friday not just to talk about God and Quran but about community, issues happening around them. Islam is very different from other abrahamic religions.

26. From the people who brought you postal votes: vote-by-ouija-board.

27. In this comments section:

    – But what about Jews telling people not to vote Corbyn!!
    – But what about Christians existing!!!
    – But this is Racist!!!

    They’re growing in population and it’s only going to get worse, keep burying your heads in the sand. Or maybe you’re not doing that, and you’re actually in favour of this coming transformation of the country.