Job advert for £23,500-a-year Sharia law administrator is deleted after furious backlash
Outraged MPs demanded action last night as it emerged that a Government jobs site is advertising a role in a sharia council for a ‘Sharia Law Administrator’.
They insisted that the British state should not be promoting the separate justice system based on Islamic law.
And they urged the Department for Work and Pensions to remove the online posting for the £23,500-a-year administrative role, which is based at a mosque in South Manchester.
Bosses at the Didsbury Mosque have hit out at backlash against the job, which was posted to the Government jobs board on behalf of an independent charity, the Manchester Islamic Centre.
It comes after an investigation found Britain has become the western capital for sharia councils – with up to 85 operating here, offering religious rulings on marriage and divorce even though they are not legally recognised.
The Manchester Islamic Centre says its Sharia services do not aspire to be legal courts, instead acting as arbitration services, which are legal in the UK.
Independent MP Rupert Lowe wrote in a letter to Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall: ‘I am writing to express my absolute alarm and disgust that the Department for Work and Pensions ‘Find a Job’ platform is currently advertising for a ‘Sharia Law Administrator’.
‘The requirements include a degree in sharia law and experience in sharia courts in Muslim countries.
‘The DWP is promoting and facilitating the embedding of a parallel legal system in the United Kingdom.
‘Sharia law has no place operating as a recognised legal framework within our country. It is fundamentally incompatible with British law, and our very way of life.’
The job advert for a Shariah Law Administrator was later deleted from the Government’s website
Outraged MPs demanded action last night as it emerged that a Government jobs site is advertising a role in a sharia council. Pictured: File photo of a sharia court in Banda Aceh, Indonesia
They insisted that the British state should not be promoting the separate justice system based on Islamic law. Pictured; File photo of a Sharia council in east London
Independent MP Rupert Lowe (pictured earlier this year) wrote in a letter to Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall: ‘I am writing to express my absolute alarm and disgust that the Department for Work and Pensions ‘Find a Job’ platform is currently advertising for a ‘Sharia Law Administrator”
Mr Lowe demanded to know who approved the job posting and urged the department to immediately remove it.
Reform’s Zia Yusuf also wrote on social media: ‘There is only one legal system in the UK. Any attempt to upend or replace it should be illegal.’
While party leader Nigel Farage claimed: ‘Our country and its values are being destroyed.’
And Tory MP Peter Bedford said: ‘I would be aghast if a politician signed off allowing recruitment for this type of role.
‘I suspect, once again, this is the out-of-control civil service creating and implementing policy contrary to democratic authority. This must stop.’
The advert posted on the DWP’s Find A Job website on Thursday was for a ‘Sharia Law Administrator’ at Manchester Community Centre based in Didsbury.
It requested an individual to ‘provide all admin and secretarial work for Manchester Sharia Council’ including to ‘plan, manage, organise and oversee all MSC social and sharia services and activities on a day to day basis’.
Candidates needed a degree in sharia law along with ‘previous working experience in sharia law-related fields and/or sharia courts in Muslim countries’.
‘Boundary-setting’ was an essential skill, with the ad stating: ‘The nature of the work means it is easy to get emotionally involved in certain cases.
‘Setting boundaries ensures professional lines are not crossed.’
The Manchester Islamic Centre insists that its Sharia law administrators operate within UK law, and do not operate a ‘parallel legal system’.
Mr Lowe demanded to know who approved the job posting and urged the department to immediately remove it. Pictured: File photo of a sharia council in east London
‘The DWP advertises many jobs to help people obtain employment. It is an administrative role, and they advertised the job for local people. It was open to anyone to apply,’ it said in a statement.
‘We do not operate outside UK law or operate a parallel legal system which would be unlawful. We operate within UK law and all our policies reflect respect for UK laws.
‘Under the law, some different faith communities operate a religious arbitration and counselling service within the law.’
It continued: ‘The term Sharia law is misleading; it is not a legal court.
‘Instead, it offers members of the Muslim communities two separate services – civil arbitration and religious guidance on numerous religious matters – neither of which constitutes a parallel legal system.
‘Under the Arbitration Act (1996), all British citizens have the right to resolve civil – and not criminal or family – disputes through arbitration. They cannot provide rulings contrary to the law, but can resolve disputes.
‘Some mosques in Manchester are registered to provide lawful civil marriages and perform a religious marriage as part of a lawfully conducted marriage service.
‘It has been suggested in one online post that we are going to charge (tax) Christians for being non-Muslims.
‘This is incorrect, inflammatory and xenophobic. There is no desire, intention or capability to demand taxes from anyone.’
Didsbury Mosque says it will report any threats to police. It is rewording the advert to ‘avoid future misunderstanding’.
A DWP spokesman said: ‘This job advert was advertised on the Find a Job portal by an independent registered charity, not DWP.
‘Robust processes are in place to ensure all adverts on Find a Job meet strict guidelines.’
