LEO MCKINSTRY: How the accountant elected as a Green councillor presented ... trends now
The Leeds branch of the Green Party presented Mothin Ali, one of its city council candidates in last week's local elections, as a benign, humanitarian campaigner for local unity and social justice.
According to the party's publicity, Ali, an accountant by profession, is passionate about 'tackling anti-social behaviour and community well-being', as illustrated by his involvement with horticultural projects, his activism against drug-dealing and his voluntary work at his mosque.
He was portrayed as a man who devoted himself to improving his neighbourhood and challenging bigotry.
The Leeds branch of the Green Party presented Mothin Ali (pictured), one of its city council candidates in last week's local elections, as a benign, humanitarian campaigner for local unity and social justice
Mr Ali was one of dozens of candidates who ran on a Gaza ticket at the local elections and managed to defeat a Labour candidate
The editor of Garden News, Simon Caney, whose weekly magazine regularly features articles by Ali, recently proclaimed: 'As gardeners we should all want a better, more sustainable world but that can't be achieved until we have a society that celebrates diversity and inclusivity.'
But the reality behind this bucolic, gentle image could not be more different, and it was fully exposed at the declaration of the municipal results in Leeds at the end of last week.
In the ward of Gipton and Harehills, Mothin Ali received just over 3,000 votes, winning the seat easily.
But instead of taking the chance to promise action on environmental issues such as hedgerows and pollution, Ali used his victory speech to express his uncompromising support for the Palestinian cause. 'We will not be silenced. We will raise the voice of Gaza. We will raise the voice of Palestine. Allahu akbar!' he cried.
Ali hailed his election as really 'a win for the
