A Labour MP has infuriated one of her constituents by twice sending him a card celebrating an Islamic festival even though he is not a Muslim. Karen Buck, a key aide to party leader Ed Miliband, admitted that her staff went through the electoral register picking out people with ‘Islamic’ names – a practice that could be in breach of the Data Protection Act. Rustom Irani, 52, who was born into the ancient Iranian faith of Zoroastrianism, first complained when he received an Eid card from her in 2009. The Westminster North MP apologised and promised him it would not happen again – but then she sent him another greeting to mark the Islamic feast day at the beginning of the week. Mr Irani, a businessman from Maida Vale, West London, said the Labour politician’s use of his personal information raised data protection concerns. ‘I was born a Zoroastrian,’ he said. ‘I’m not anti-Islamic, it’s just that I’m not Muslim. Clearly they have just looked up my name.’ Miss Buck told Mr Irani in 2009 that the 7,000 cards she sent out that year to mark Eid – which celebrates the end of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting – were intended only for Muslims, although she confirmed at least two other recipients had complained. ‘My offices have no special access to data on resident’s religion,’ she wrote. ‘We made an error on the basis of your surname being an Islamic one. ‘For this I again sincerely apologise. The vast majority of the cards sent out via surnames on the electoral register were sent to Muslim households and were welcomed.’
Posted on: Sat, 02 Aug 2014 11:01:18 +0000
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