Monday, November 4, 2013

Loon Watch Falsely Claims Boris Johnson Suddenly Discovered Muslim Ancestry to Exploit and Attract Islamic Capitalist Investment


The Daily Mail's Matt Chorley reported on Boris Johnson's attempts to attract Arab investments.  Before the usual copy and paste by Loon Watch this piece of spin was added:

Boris Johnson: I’m the First London Mayor of Muslim Extraction All of a sudden when the mayor wants to attract so-called “Islamic” capitalist investment in his town he shakes his family tree and down falls a Muslim. You gotta give him credit for the sales pitch.

This of course is a false claim. As far back as 2008 Boris Johnson had spoken with pride about his Muslim ancestry and how his own immigrant background meant he could emphathise with asylum seekers.

Boris Johnson expresses pride in his 'Muslim ancestry'
Thursday 10th April 2008


Boris Johnson has spoken of his pride in his Muslim immigrant ancestry as he pledged to back calls for illegal immigrants to be given legal status.

His support was echoed by the other three leading candidates in the London Mayoral election at an "accountability assembly" of 100 grassroots community groups based in the capital.

Would-be mayors Brian Paddick and Sian Berry promised to provide subsidised transport for failed asylum seekers in London travelling to meetings with immigration officials.

Mr Johnson and incumbent mayor Ken Livingstone both said they would look into doing this as well.
 
The four candidates were speaking at a meeting organised by London Citizens, an alliance of churches, mosques, temples, trade unions, schools and other community groups.

The 2,500 delegates at tonight's assembly called on the prospective mayors to support four proposals intended to improve life in the capital.

All the candidates backed giving regular legal status to undocumented migrants.

Mr Johnson, the Conservative nominee, was heckled by a man shouting "tell the truth" as he approached the microphone.

He said: "If an immigrant has been here for a long time and there is no realistic prospect of returning them, then I do think that person's condition should be regularised so that they can pay taxes and join the rest of society."

Mr Johnson spoke of his own family's immigrant status, adding that his Muslim great-grandfather who fled to Britain from Turkey would be very proud that his great-grandson was standing for mayor of London.

Yet another bungled attempt by Loon Watch to manufacture 'Islamophobia'.

 

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