A convicted terrorist who once praised jihad as an act of “compassion” is standing for election to Birmingham City Council, raising grave concerns about the direction of local politics and the standards now being tolerated in public life.
The Daily Mail reports that, Shahid Butt, who is standing as an independent candidate in the Sparkhill ward at May’s local elections, previously served a five-year prison sentence in Yemen for terrorism offences. He and five other UK nationals were convicted in 1999 of plotting to bomb the British consulate, an Anglican church, and a hotel in Aden.
Despite this background, Mr Butt has since worked on the Home Office’s Prevent programme and sat on the West Midlands Anti-Terrorism Steering Committee, an extraordinary fact that will alarm many who expect those roles to be reserved for individuals with unimpeachable records.
Sparkhill is an inner-city ward with a population that is around 91 per cent ethnic minority, with almost 70 per cent identifying as Muslim.
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Maccabi Tel Aviv’s involvement
Serious concerns are compounded by Mr Butt’s more recent public statements.
He has supported protests against Israeli football club Maccabi Tel Aviv and urged “every local Muslim” to attend demonstrations in Birmingham last November.
While he told attendees not to bring weapons, footage from one protest shows him declaring:“Muslims are not pacifists, if somebody comes into your face, you knock his teeth out.”
In a 2024 YouTube interview, Mr Butt described violent jihad abroad as an act of “compassion,” suggesting that those who travel to fight in foreign conflicts are motivated by sympathy rather than extremism.
It is therefore deeply troubling that a Muslim man with a past conviction for terrorism now feels able to stand for public office after making such statements, particularly in a historically Christian nation. Were the situation reversed, and a Christian candidate had publicly spoken in this manner about Muslims, it is difficult to imagine that such a candidacy would be tolerated.
Britain remains a Christian country in its heritage, values, and foundations. As such, we stand for peace, love, and righteous leadership, principles wholly incompatible with rhetoric that excuses violence or promotes religious hostility.
Psalm 11:5 The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth.
Return to the UK’s Christian Constitution →
Could Britain’s diversity be a curse?
The question of whether Britain’s celebrated diversity could be turning into a societal challenge is becoming more widely debated.
On the one hand, the UK has long positioned itself as a multicultural nation where people of every faith and background can participate fully in civic life. But recent developments have prompted serious reflection on whether that diversity is fostering social cohesion or, in some cases, fragmentation.
One key area of concern is the influence of religious identity in political representation. Across the UK there has been a notable rise in the number of Muslim political leaders and elected officials. For example, Sadiq Khan has served as Mayor of London since 2016 and continues to win re-election, and figures from Muslim backgrounds have attained mayoral roles in other towns such as Brighton & Hove and Blackburn with Darwen in recent years.
In September 2024, A Muslim councillor in Leeds, Mothin Ali was elected joint deputy leader of the Green Party. During his victory speech, Mr. Ali labelled his election a “win for the people of Gaza” before shouting “Allahu Akbar”, meaning “God is the greatest” in Arabic. He later apologised for “any upset” caused.
This political participation simply reflects demographic change and the right of all communities to be represented. However, when political leadership or decision-making roles are occupied by figures whose primary appeal is religious or communal, it can weaken shared national identity and blur commitment to foundational British values.
Exodus 18:21 Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.
Godly leadership requires the fear of God,commitment to truth, moral integrity, rejection of corruption and violence.
A man who praises jihad, excuses extremist fighters, and advocates physical retaliation does not meet these biblical qualifications.
Psalm 140:1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man.
What is Britain becoming?
The prospect of a convicted terrorist standing for public office is not merely a local controversy, it is a symptom of national decline.
It reflects a country increasingly reluctant to defend its Christian foundations, increasingly tolerant of radical ideologies, and increasingly confused about the difference between compassion and chaos.
Multiculturalism without moral boundaries does not lead to harmony. It leads to fragmentation.
If Britain is to have a future worth passing on to the next generation, it must recover a clear moral vision, one rooted not in political correctness, but in biblical truth.
As Christians, we must pray, speak, and act:
Proverbs 14:34 Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
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Read and pray
READ: Exodus 18:21; Psalm 11:5.
PRAY:Pray that God will restore truth in public leadership, and turn the hearts. Pray for Repentance and Godly Conviction. Pray for Protection of God’s Design for Humanity
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ISTM there is a problem calling Britain a Christian country. Foreigners must look at our culture and see all the godlessness. I think if asked I would say no, we have a Christian heritage with Christian ceremonies, but we are not a Christian country.
When the archbishop crowned the King, he made it very obvious that he was reading from a script – what he was saying were not his words.
Regarding Mr Butt, I am surprised that someone with a criminal record can stand for election. Is this legal?