As the latest economy growth figures were released this week, it emerged that the UK economy grew by 0.3%, narrowly avoiding a triple-dip recession (going into recession for the 3rd time since the 2008 financial crash). Government ministers came out claiming that the effect of their policies meant the economy was being rebuilt. However, only they believe their own propaganda on this issue.

Similar to this is the official claim that UK inflation stands at 2.8%. For most people who have seen the cost of electricity, gas and basic foodstuffs rocket up, inflation is probably closer to 10%. Many fault the way it is calculated claiming it doesn't truly reflect the reality..

One of the things that has puzzled many economic experts is the fact that unemployment had not shot up during the current slump. The government claims that this is proof that its austerity program was working. Obviously, ministers seek to claim that their policies are working so they cling to any bit of good news on the economy.

The reality is that the economy is hardly growing at all, public borrowing is still high and there isn't much of an export boom to come to the rescue. So, even though more than 2.5 million people are out of work in the UK, 2012 was the best year for employment growth since the bursting of the dotcom bubble.

How can this be the case when almost 7,000 public-sector jobs are shed each month and the economy hovers on the edge of a recession? Perhaps, the most important explanation is that the main published figures miss important groups, such as the part-time workers who want to go full-time but can't, or the freelancers and self-employed who are barely attracting enough work or customers to get by. Neither of these groups are out of work; but nor are they fully employed, yet they are included in the national figures.

Since the 2008 crash, this phenomena of ‘underemployment' has grown. A recent report says that today, Britons would work an extra 20 million hours if they could only get them. Apparently, that is equivalent to adding another half a million workers to the unemployment figures which would take the number of unemployed to over 3 million.

The reality is that there has been a growth - during this period of prolonged downturn - of workers on zero-hours contracts. A zero-hours contract is a type of contract under which an employer does not guarantee the employee a fixed number of hours per week. Rather, the employee is expected to be on-call and receive compensation only for hours worked. 23% of Britain's major employers keep workers on contracts that deny them the same conditions as regular employees. The current downturn has also seen a shrinking of full time jobs replaced by growth in part-time jobs. Whilst these people are in work; in reality, they don't consider that they have a working income and this shows little sign of changing anytime soon.

While ministers are happy to trumpet the lower than expected unemployment figures, the reality of underemployment in the UK looks like storing up problems for years to come.

Taji Mustafa

Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in Britain

The date of the Malaysian general election was announced by the Prime Minister of Malaysia to fall on the 5^th of May 2013. On the 20^th of April, candidate contesting in the elections were nominated and this saw the beginning of the ‘democratic festival'. This election is arguably the hottest in all the history of elections in Malaysia. Right after the nomination, it was reported that a total of 61 ex-ruling party leaders and members will be contesting as independent candidates, willing to be expelled from the party simply because they do not agree with the candidates appointed by the president. Meanwhile, the opponents saw 7 places where opposition component parties compete against each other after failing to reach a consensus. At any rate, after the nomination of candidates, the election campaign is now getting hotter with talks, war of flags, posters and banners as well as war through the media, not to mention the virtual media. So too are the propaganda, fights, cheating, hatred, accusations, slander and money politics (corruption).

In a democracy, the rule is sought after because power is everything. One thing that has never been and will never be taught in a democracy is that 'power' is a trust from Allah (swt) to implement the syariah laws. Democracy teaches its adherents that powerful people can create and apply the law according to his or her own desires although these laws are against Islam. That is why those who adopt democracy will never adopt Islam. This is because democracy is certainly not designed to practice Islam, but instead it was actually invented to prevent the application of Islamic law itself! This five-yearly ‘democratic power struggle festival' is not in line with syariah as the only goal is to gain victory. What is most important is to topple the rival, no matter how and no matter how much money, time and energy is spent. This is indeed the case for secular and kuffar political parties, thinking only about worldly gains. Unfortunately parties or Islamic movements also seem to be running the same orientation. Democracy is designed to ensure that Muslims are always divided. Democracy also ensures that Muslims adhere to assabiyyah (nationalism) and wathaniyyah (patriotism). That is why the political parties in a democracy has never and will never promote jihad and futuhat because the basis of their thought is dominated by the narrow struggle of assabiyyah and wathaniyyah.

The Muslims involved in this ‘democratic festival' taught by the colonialists must remember that what they are involved in is not something that should be pursued. There is no point in ‘winning' the election if the existing democratic system is still maintained, the constitution drafted by Lord Reid is still revered and the law of Allah is still not implemented. It should be reminded that any party that gains power and becomes the government is obliged to implement Allah's law! Else they will face disgrace and misery in this world and face Allah's wrath in the hereafter. It should also be reminded that anyone who prefers the democratic system, he is actually choosing lawlessness in place of the light of Allah's rule. Leave democracy and work for the Khilafah "Caliphate"!

Dr. Muhammad

Malaysia

Using its brutal security forces, the regime in Jordan prevented the commencement of the women's seminar that had been organized by Hizb ut Tahrir before the Embassy of the regime of Assad the criminal, entitled: "Hasten to Establish the Khilafah "Caliphate" to Protect the Honourable Women of Al-Sham." The suppressive regime in Jordan confiscated equipment prepared by the technical personnel to facilitate the conference, and as part of our mandate we hereby deliver this message to the Jordanian regime:

It is shameful of you and your repressive forces to exercise your empty audacity against a gathering of women in Jordan, is this how you demonstrate your masculinity - by using force against women?? Isn't your disgraceful betrayal and shameful conspiracy against the revolution of Al-Sham enough for you? So, instead of sending your security forces to rescue the women of Al-Sham, you direct them to crack down on women and preventing them from delivering the word of truth in support of their sisters who lost their husbands and children. Your stance shall be your downfall and you shall see how the Islamic Ummah delivers a just recompense for your shameful actions.

((وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَخْزَى وَهُمْ لَا يُنْصَرُونَ))

"But the punishment of the Hereafter is more disgracing, and they will not be helped"

The Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Jordan

Hizb ut Tahrir/ Wilayah Sudan organized an Islamic political book Fair in Ribik in the White Nile province. From Sunday 21 April 2013 until Thursday 25 April 2013, the exhibition consisted of two tents, one in which contained the Hizb's books and publications about the Hizb's culture, and Alwaie magazine. The second tent was devoted to discussions with visitors.The exhibition receives a large turnout and interaction from the public, including political leaders and notables of the city. The fair was accompanied by a daily forum, which introduced various issues. Alhamdulillah, Lord of the Worlds

Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir Wilayah of Sudan

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