Conservative MPs have demanded an investigation by the Charity Commission after an East London Mosque banned women and girls over 12 from taking part in a charity fun run. The event, held in October on public land in Tower Hamlets, only allowed men and girls under 12 to participate.
In a letter to the commission, shadow ministers Kevin Hollinrake, Mims Davies and Claire Coutinho described the ban as “direct sex and age discrimination” and “blatant segregation”. They argued that the event, organised by the East London Mosque Trust and supported by the local council, had no lawful exception under charity or equality law, as it was not held within a place of worship or educational setting.
The MPs warned that excluding women from public events risked worsening community division and marginalisation. They urged the commission to investigate whether the mosque’s actions were compatible with its charitable purposes and the law, and to take appropriate action if necessary.
In response, the mosque’s CEO, Juniad Ahmed, and head of programmes, Sufia Alam, said women’s races had not been held due to “low take up”, and that some women in the community prefer separate events. They added: “Going forward we will ensure there are women’s races as well as men’s races, and we will work to increase women’s participation.”
Tower Hamlets mayor Lufter Rahman, who was previously banned from public office for election fraud, said he had contacted the mosque for urgent clarification. The Charity Commission has yet to comment on the request for an investigation.
