Muslim outreach project receives £130,000 in taxpayers’ cash despite CEO’s backing for ‘toxic’ Cage

However its chief executive officer Omar Salha has supported controversial Muslim advocacy group Cage, an organisation branded “toxic” by the Board of Deputies.

In its report this year, the Commission for Countering Extremism urged the government to crack down on Cage which hit the headlines in 2015 after its research director hailed the notorious Isis terrorist known as Jihadi John as a “beautiful young man”

And the organisation’s own official Twitter count has praised another Muslim advocacy group, Mend, which the Board of Deputies will not work with.

In 2016, the Board said Mend risked “increasing hostility and suspicion between the Jewish and Muslim communities, rather than building trust and empathy”.

Labour leader Keir Starmer last month pulled out of attending a virtual event hosted by the project after the JC highlighted concerns about its support for Cage and Mend.

It has now emerged the Ramadan Tent Project was a recipient of taxpayers’ money after it was awarded a £130,000 grant under the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund (CRF). 

Administered by Arts Council England, the CRF was announced by Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden in July, 2020.  

The £1.57bn rescue package was designed to help cultural and heritage organisations to stay afloat during the pandemic and has awarded more than 5,000 organisations and sites funding.

Organisations bidding for grants had to demonstrate they were at risk of no longer trading by March 2021 in order to qualify for funding.

An Arts Council England spokeswoman said the fast-breaking iftar hosted by the Ramadan Tent Project was the UK’s “largest annual cultural community event held during Ramadan” which included “arts, spoken word performances, visual arts and architectural installations”.

She added: “The event showcases Ramadan as a cultural festival open to all, reporting that over 100,000 people with different beliefs, life experiences and viewpoints have taken part in the project since it was established.

“The published terms of the fund are clear that awards cannot cover costs related to the promotion of the beliefs of political or faith organisations.”

A Ramadan Tent Project spokeswoman described the last year as “one of the most challenging and uncertain times”.

She added: “Ramadan Tent Project, like many hundreds of thousands of local and national arts, culture and heritage organisations in Britain were deeply affected by the pandemic.

“Thanks to the government’s Culture Recovery Fund we were able to continue to contribute and highlight the importance of co-creating spaces of culture and belonging between different communities and organisations.

“We are proud to be acknowledged as a pillar of Britain’s rich cultural ecology in showcasing the holy month of Ramadan through combined arts, cultural diplomacy and creative exchange and expression.”

The JC revealed last month how, in 2017, Project CEO Omar Salha posted his support for Cage on Twitter.

He wrote: “Time for those who stand for the values of justice and liberty to support UK Cage and not be intimidated by the powers that be.”

Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham co-hosted last month’s open iftar after Sir Keir pulled out at the eleventh hour from attending.

It came after the JC highlighted the concerns of the Board of Deputies’ Tal Ofer who urged the Labour leader to re-think attending.