Labour Withdraws Support for Rochdale Candidate over Controversial Comments on Israel and Jewish People
In a surprising turn of events, the Labour Party has withdrawn its support for Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali following controversial comments he made about Israel and Jewish people. The party initially stood by Ali when he claimed that Israel had allowed the 7 October attacks by Hamas as a pretext to invade Gaza. However, they changed their position after Ali apparently blamed Jewish media figures for fueling criticism against a pro-Palestinian Labour MP.
The decision to withdraw support comes after the Daily Mail published a fuller recording of Ali, in which he blamed “people in the media from certain Jewish quarters” for the suspension of Andy McDonald from the Labour Party. McDonald had been suspended last year after making comments about justice and peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians.
While Ali will still be listed as the Labour candidate on the ballot paper due to electoral law constraints, he has been suspended from the party pending an investigation. Labour’s National Campaign Coordinator, Pat McFadden, stated that the withdrawal of support for a candidate after nominations have closed demonstrates Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s commitment to rooting out antisemitism from the party.
The handling of the case has been criticized by Martin Forde, who led a review into allegations of bullying and racism in the Labour Party. Forde described it as “pretty shambolic” and suggested that it would have been sensible to withdraw support for Ali when his comments first emerged. However, former Labour MP Lord Mann, an independent adviser to the government on antisemitism, commended Starmer’s decision, stating that it showed a commitment to addressing the issue.
The controversy surrounding Ali raises questions about Starmer’s leadership and the handling of such cases within the party. Some argue that the story was allowed to run for too long before action was taken, while others claim that antisemitism is being weaponized along factional lines. The row also highlights the ongoing disunity within the Labour Party, despite Starmer’s efforts to unite the party.
The withdrawal of support for Ali has significant implications for his political future. It is highly unlikely that he will be selected by the party to fight in this year’s general election. Additionally, it adds uncertainty to the outcome of the by-election in Rochdale, where Labour currently holds a majority of over 9,000 votes. Other candidates running in the by-election include former Labour MP Simon Danczuk, Reform Party candidate; George Galloway, Workers Party of Britain candidate; Paul Ellison, Conservative candidate; and Iain Donaldson, Liberal Democrat candidate.
The decision to withdraw support from Ali has drawn criticism from various quarters. The Campaign Against Antisemitism described it as “the worst of all worlds,” suggesting that it appeared expedient rather than principled. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak accused Labour of only withdrawing support due to media pressure, questioning the party’s principles.
This incident is not the first time Labour has faced controversy related to comments about the Israel-Palestine conflict. In recent months, two Labour MPs have been suspended for similar comments. Kate Osamor had the party whip removed after referring to Gaza as genocide, while Andy McDonald was suspended for his comments about justice and peaceful coexistence.
The conflict between Israel and Hamas has been ongoing, with both sides engaging in violence and retaliation. Israel declared war on Hamas after the group led an attack on communities inside Israel, resulting in the deaths of around 1,200 people. Since then, according to the Hamas-run health ministry, thousands of Palestinians have been killed and injured as Israel launched missiles and ground operations into the Gaza Strip.
The withdrawal of support for Ali highlights the challenges faced by political parties in addressing sensitive issues such as antisemitism and the Israel-Palestine conflict. It also serves as a reminder of the ongoing divisions within the Labour Party and the need for effective leadership to navigate these complex issues.
