A job advertisement for a Sharia law administrator posted on the Department for Work and Pensions' (DWP) Find a Job platform has been removed following widespread criticism. The role, based in Didsbury, Manchester, offered a salary of £23,500 per year for administrative and secretarial work at the Manchester Shariah Council. The advert required applicants to have previous experience in Shariah law-related fields or courts in Muslim countries, as well as an understanding of British law.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage condemned the posting on social media, stating that 'our country and its values are being destroyed'. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick called for Sharia courts to be banned entirely. Migration Watch chairman Alp Mehmet described the advert as 'deeply worrying' and a challenge to laws that apply to everyone in Britain. Stephen Evans, chief executive of the National Secular Society, argued that Sharia courts 'undermine the principle of one law for all' and have a negative impact on women and children.
Sharia courts are religious bodies applying Islamic law, focusing on family matters such as marriage, divorce, and inheritance for Muslims. They have operated in the UK since the early 1980s, with estimates from a 2018 Home Office review placing the number of such courts in England and Wales between 30 and 85. The advert was removed on Monday morning 'by the employer or a system administrator', though the responsible party remains unknown.
A DWP spokesman clarified that the position was advertised by an independent registered charity on the Find a Job portal, which is a free platform for jobseekers to find vacancies from various sectors. The posting has sparked debate about the role of Sharia law in the UK and its compatibility with British legal principles.
