Labor has withdrawn its support for Azhar Ali, a candidate in this month’s Rochdale by-election, following his controversial comments about the October 7 attack on Israel.
Under electoral law, Labor cannot field another candidate to replace Mr Ali because the deadline has passed on February 2nd. He will run as a Labor Party candidate on the ballot paper, but if elected he will not hold a party whip and will take the seat as an independent.
Labor sources said Rochdale campaigners were told to stop leafleting and social media activity on Mr Ali’s behalf at 5.30pm on Monday, following instructions from party headquarters.
After comments made by Mr Ali in the aftermath of the October 7 attack surfaced over the weekend, senior party leaders have called on the leadership to ensure that he faces disciplinary action if he wins the by-election. Ta. In it, he suggested that Israel had deliberately relaxed security after being warned of an imminent threat.
Labor MPs and members have expressed concern about the leadership’s continued support for Mr Ali, who they say will take a “zero tolerance” approach to anti-Semitism and all forms of racism. He said it was a “huge and disappointing turn” from Mr Starmer’s pledges.
On Monday night, the Daily Mail approached Labor for further comments from Mr Ali, urging the party to withdraw its support.
Local Labor Party insiders say some activists are serious about supporting Simon Danczuk, the disgraced former Labor MP for Rochdale who was suspended from the party for sending inappropriate messages to teenagers. He said he would consider it.
“Simon might be the best way to go.” [George Galloway, who is running as a Workers party candidate in the byelection] He’s out,” the source said. “It’s the devil and the deep blue sea.”
Mr Danczuk, from the Populist Reform Party, said Labor should now take down posters, tear up leaflets supporting Mr Ali and ensure that activists no longer campaign on his behalf.
“The Labor Party under Keir Starmer has campaigned for someone with anti-Semitic views,” he said. “The party must completely break with this candidate. It will be a shameful situation if the party appears to be tacitly supporting him.”
Danczuk’s campaign will now focus on stopping Galloway, he said. “My campaign is about telling voters that I don’t want an MP who would put Palestine before Rochdale. If elected, I would put Rochdale before Palestine.”
Mr Galloway, whose votes are concentrated among Rochdale’s sizable Pakistani and Kashmiri Muslim communities, is expected to benefit from the contest, with some local activists saying Mr Ali’s suspension will has said he will be the favorite to win on February 29th.
The veteran campaigner, who is already a respected Labor Party MP, appealed to voters to make the world aware of the plight of the people of Gaza by voting for him.
The prospect that he could become an MP again would appall some in the Jewish community. In 2014 he called for Bradford to become an “Israel-free zone”.
Mr Ali apologized after a recording was leaked to the Mail on Sunday, in which he was heard saying: “The Egyptians say they warned Israel 10 days ago…but the Americans warned them one day ago.” [that] …something is happening. They intentionally let their guard down and allowed that genocide, which gave them permission to do whatever they wanted. ”
Shadow international development minister Lisa Nandy and shadow women and equalities minister Anneliese Dodds were campaigning for Mr Ali in his constituency over the weekend.
Shadow Minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that he believed Mr Ali had fallen for an “online conspiracy theory” and understood the “seriousness of the crime that has been caused”. .
Frontbencher said: “This was too little too late. Continued support from the leadership could still open the floodgates, and others believe they can get away with anti-Semitism by holding up banners calling for an end to it.” It makes a lot of people think.”
Another senior MP added: “His comments were beyond acceptable and if he were a Labor MP the whip would need to be suspended if recent events are any guide.”
Mr Ali is also said to have been suspended from the Labor Party pending an investigation.
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According to an article published by the Daily Mail on Monday night, Mr Ali was suspended from the Labor Party after “media members in certain Jewish areas” used the controversial phrase “between the rivers”. “He’s talking nonsense,” he said of Andy McDonald. “The sea,” he said in a speech during the rally.
The newspaper also reported that the former Labor Party candidate said that Israel “ [Palestinians] from Gaza” and “take” part of the land. It appears that the statement was made at the same meeting as the original story.
“The Labor Party has withdrawn its support for Azhar Ali as a candidate for the Rochdale by-election following new information emerging today regarding further comments by Azhar Ali,” the Labor Party said. the official said.
“Keir Starmer has transformed the Labor Party beyond recognition from the party it was in 2019. We understand that these circumstances are highly unusual, but the candidates that Labor endorses represent Labour’s purpose and values. Full representation is vital. Given that nominations have now closed, Azhar Ali cannot be replaced as a candidate.”
Rishi Sunak directly addressed the scandal in an interview with GB News, accusing Starmer of supporting politicians and having “zero principles”.
“No, Labor hasn’t changed,” he said during an hour-long Q&A with a live audience. “That’s a scam.”
A spokesperson for the Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Sir Keir Starmer has erased an otherwise pretty respectable copybook and demonstrated the seriousness of his promise to eradicate antisemitism in the Labor Party ‘to the core’. “We have given the public reason to be suspicious.”
“People will have to decide for themselves whether the additional reported comments by Azhar Ali are really worse than those already reported.
“Labour’s withdrawal of support for the candidate at this late stage seems less like a principled decision and more like an expedient attempt to defend the candidate. This is the worst thing that could happen to the Labor Party.”
Senior lawyer Martin Forde KC, who was commissioned by Mr Starmer to investigate Labour’s culture last year, said the leadership had failed to put “transparent systems in place” and that anti-Semitism and all other forms of racism were rampant. He criticized the president for vowing to take a “zero tolerance” approach. .
After calling for an independent directorate to oversee Labour’s disciplinary process, which was later rejected, Mr Forde said at the time: “Part of the reason there has been factionalism over this is that different groups are being treated differently. I think it’s because there is a recognition that they will be accepted.”
Activists in Rochdale spoke of their shock at Mr Ali’s comments, saying he was known to support and support eradicating anti-Semitism from the party. That’s why, they believe, the leadership was so sympathetic towards him.
Labor MP Kate Osamor was suspended in January for saying on Holocaust Remembrance Day that Gaza should be remembered as a genocide, and Mr MacDonald told a pro-Palestinian rally in October that he would “until justice is served.” We will not rest until Israelis and Palestinians and all the peoples between the rivers and the sea can live in peace and freedom.”
