Statement on untrue reports suggesting that the Mayor plans to fund
a mosque
A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority has issued the following
statement in relation to false claims that the Mayor of London is planning
to fund a new 'mega-mosque' in East London.
'It has been brought to the attention of the Greater London Authority that
a number of untrue reports are being circulated suggesting that the Mayor
of London or other public authorities are planning to spend up to £100
million of public money on a new mosque in East London.
'The Mayor wishes to make it absolutely clear that these reports are entirely
untrue. There are not now, and have never been, any plans by the Mayor
or Greater London Authority spend any public money on such mosque. Indeed,
it would be illegal for the Mayor of London to do so. Suggestions of
a link between plans for a mosque and the 2012 Olympic Games are equally
untrue, as are suggestions of the enormous size of any planned mosque.
'Equally, there is no current planning permission or application for a
mosque and Newham Council do not expect a planning application in the near
future.
'These facts have been in the public domain for a considerable period of
time. The circulation of these manifestly untrue reports seems to be designed
to bring influence to bear on a petition in relation to such a mosque on
the No10 Downing Street website.
'It is quite clear that the circulation of untrue information of this kind
can damage good community relations.
'All religious faiths have the equal right to construct places of worship,
subject to the appropriate planning permissions. The particularly vicious
nature of the campaign against a possible Muslim place of worship in East
London should be condemned by all of those who support the long established
right of freedom of religion in this country, and all the more so as it
is based on information which has long been established to be factually
untrue.'
17 July 2007 |
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