Vote 2012: 'Alienated' Muslims urged to use right to vote

A lot of Muslims "feel alienated from the political process", according to the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).

That has led some to opt not to vote in past elections.

But now the MCB, which represents more than 500 Islamic organizations in Britain, has been encouraging Muslims to vote ahead of the local elections on Thursday.

Talha Ahmad, chair of its membership committee, said: "Political awareness is very low."

He wants Muslims in England to use their right to vote, but feels that political parties in the past have not helped themselves either

'Worst affected'

He said: "My own experience growing up in Birmingham was that nobody ever spoke to me. They always just spoke to my dad. It would have made a difference if they had spoken to me or my mum too."

Although Mr Ahmad believes that parties are improving in terms of reaching out, he thinks that Muslims need to take the initiative too, especially as in many areas of social deprivation they "are the worst affected".

"They don't appreciate the power of elected officials, but our feelings are meaningless if we don't make our voices heard," he said.