Azhar Ali: Labour withdraws support for Rochdale candidate
Prospective MP is 'ditched' by party after newspaper reports 'more of his anti-Semitic comments'
![Azhar Ali](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/fhuJYqz9t7jZnBUTFHKsfJ-415-80.jpg)
Labour says it has "withdrawn support" for its Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali after he allegedly told a party meeting that Israel had "allowed" the deadly attacks by Hamas gunmen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.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516-320-80.jpg)
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.
-
Nasa's 'strangest find': pure sulphur on Mars
Under the Radar Curiosity rover discovers elemental sulphur rocks, adding to 'growing evidence' of life-sustaining elements on Red Planet
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Bodycam shows deputy killing Black woman
Speed Read An Illinois deputy fatally shot Sonya Massey, who had called 911 about suspected trespassers
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Spare us the charade'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Israel intercepts Houthi rocket after Yemen strike
Speed Read Just hours after its deadly strike on Houthi rebels, Israel said it shot down a Yemen missile
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US military declares end to Gaza pier aid mission
Speed Read The temporary pier mission was troubled by weather and mechanical malfunctions
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'On too many elite campuses, little seems to have changed'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Menendez convicted of bribery, fraud, and extortion
Speed Read The New Jersey Democratic Senator was found guilty in a federal corruption trial
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
King's Speech: is Keir Starmer being too cautious?
Today's Big Question The Labour Party set out its plans for its first year in government
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Florida judge dismisses Trump documents case
Speed Read Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that special counsel Jack Smith was improperly appointed
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
How could J.D. Vance impact the special relationship?
Today's Big Question Trump's hawkish pick for VP said UK is the first 'truly Islamist country' with a nuclear weapon
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Hamas says military chief survived Israeli strike
Speed Read An Israeli bombing failed to hit its intended target, military commander Mohammed Deif, but killed at least 90 Palestinians
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published