Keith Mason reinstated as Labor Party candidate after apology to Muslims – 5Pillars

Keith Mason, who was sacked by George Galloway’s Labor Party over anti-Islam tweets, has been reinstated as the party’s Wakefield candidate after apologizing to Muslims and pledging to read the Koran.

In an interview with 5Pillars, the former rugby league star said: “It was very naive of me and irresponsible of me to get into a slanging match with someone on Twitter… Looking back, it was stupid of me to do that and I apologize if I offended anyone… I wanted to clear my name and reassure people that I am not Islamophobic.”

Mason added that a friend of his gave him a Koran and pledged to “educate himself about religion.”

You can watch our full interview with Keith Mason here.

In tweets from six months ago (now deleted), Mason insulted Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).

The staunch Christian accused Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of being a “false prophet” and said “Islam without lies dies.”

After the tweets were made public by 5Pillars, Labor leader Galloway sacked Mason. The Labor Party relies on the Muslim vote for much of its support.

But following an appeal from 5Pillars publisher Roshan Muhammed Salih, Galloway reversed his decision.

Mason, 42, is a former rugby league footballer who played in three Challenge Cup finals, winning one in 2004 for St Helens.

He won two caps for Wales at international level and also played for Great Britain and England Under-21s.

At the end of the 2013 season, Mason retired from rugby league to pursue a career as an actor.

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