Azhar Ali: Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate
Prospective MP is 'ditched' by party after newspaper reports 'more of his anti-Semitic comments'
Labour says it has "withdrawn support" for its Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali after he allegedly told a party meeting that Israel had "allowed" the deadly attacks by Hamas gunmen on 7 October.
Ali's comments were "completely and utterly unacceptable", said shadow cabinet minister Nick Thomas-Symonds. However, he added, Ali understood the "gravity of the offence that has been caused" and had "unreservedly apologised", said the BBC. Rishi Sunak accused Labour of only withdrawing support for Ali due to media pressure. "That's not principled," Sunak said.
Just hours after the party insisted it would stand by Ali, Keir Starmer reversed his position. Labour sources told The Guardian that campaigners in Rochdale were told at 5.30pm yesterday to stop leafleting and carrying out social media activity on Ali’s behalf – an instruction that "came from party HQ".
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Withdrawing support for Ali will "add an extra layer of uncertainty" to the outcome of the by-election on 29 February, said the BBC. Labour cannot replace Ali as its candidate because nominations have now closed, reported The Telegraph. If he wins the by-election, the party may decide to remove the whip, making him an independent MP. This means Labour is "effectively conceding the Greater Manchester seat, where it has a majority of roughly 9,000", said the paper.
Starmer was "forced to ditch his man", said the Daily Mail, after the paper "uncovered more of his anti-Semitic comments". He had blamed "people in the media from certain Jewish quarters" for fuelling criticism of a pro-Palestinian Labour MP, said the paper.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Arion McNicoll is a freelance writer at The Week Digital and was previously the UK website’s editor. He has also held senior editorial roles at CNN, The Times and The Sunday Times. Along with his writing work, he co-hosts “Today in History with The Retrospectors”, Rethink Audio’s flagship daily podcast, and is a regular panellist (and occasional stand-in host) on “The Week Unwrapped”. He is also a judge for The Publisher Podcast Awards.
-
'Is the death penalty racist? Of course it is.'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - May 8, 2024
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - social media guilt, gag orders, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Boy Scouts changes name to Scouting America
Speed Read The organization is rebranding, citing inclusivity
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Is the death penalty racist? Of course it is.'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
US pauses Israel bomb shipment amid Rafah rift
Speed Read The Biden administration has concerns about Israel launching a full-scale assault on Rafah
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel attacks Rafah as Hamas offers cease-fire
Speed Read Israeli forces have seized a Rafah border crossing
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rishi Sunak's legacy: how the PM will be remembered
The Explainer 'Accidental prime minister' started with the 'weakest hand' of any British leader in the modern era
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
'Climate studies are increasingly becoming politicized'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published
-
Israel warns 100k Gazans to evacuate Rafah
Speed Read The IDF has threatened to operate with "extreme force"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Rishi Sunak's asylum spat with Ireland explained
In Depth Irish government plans to override court ruling that the UK is unsafe for asylum seekers
By The Week UK Published
-
'A financial windfall for Iranian terrorism'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Harold Maass, The Week US Published