Keir Starmer says he took ‘tough’ and ‘decisive’ action to suspend Azhar Ali
A second Labour candidate has now been suspended over comments criticising Israel, after Sir Keir Starmer faced questions over his party’s “shambolic” U-turn on withdrawing support for its Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali.
Breaking his silence on Tuesday, Sir Keir insisted he took “tough” action to withdraw support for Mr Ali, who apologised after he was recorded suggesting in a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party that Israel had taken the 7 October Hamas attack as a pretext to invade Gaza.
He was initially backed by the party for his swift apology and retraction of the remarks – but in a dramatic climbdown on Monday night, the party said its support for him had been withdrawn following “new information about further comments”, and he was suspended from the party pending an investigation.
In a further blow to Sir Keir, the Guido Fawkes website published a recording of the same meeting in which Hyndburn candidate Graham Jones referred to “f***ing Israel” and said Britons who fight for the Israel Defence Forces should be locked up”. He has been swiftly suspended pending investigation.
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Labour will investigate any member at Rochdale meeting who didn’t meet party’s ‘standards’ – John Healey
Labour’s John Healey has said the Labour party will “follow the hard evidence” and ensure that anyone who did not meet the “standards” of the party during the Lancashire Labour meeting where by-election candidate Ali Azhar was found to have made antisemitic comments will be investigated.
He said: “Anyone at that meeting, if there is evidence that they have, that people acted or spoke in a way that doesn’t meet the standards, or is incompatible with the values of our Labour Party, they need to report it, provide it and the Labour Party will take it seriously and investigate it.
The party’s shadow defence secretary added: “It’s what we do with every case.”
Pushed on whether Mr Ali was properly vetted, Mr Healey replied: “Azhar Ali was widely respected, widely supported across communities, including the Jewish community in the North West, and there certainly are strong checks, the due diligence process as part of selecting Labour candidates.
“But you can’t see everything everywhere. What’s important is that if new information comes to light, as in this case, we will act to investigate, we will act to block those who are not fit to serve as MPs.”
Zoe Grunewald, Political Correspondent14 February 2024 09:25
Safeguarding minister says any discrimination ‘inconsistent with holding any kind of public office’
Safeguarding minister Laura Farris was pressed on whether the Tories also needed to ensure everything is “in order” with its own parliamentary candidates, amid the Rochdale row facing Labour.
The junior minister said: “Any discrimination by somebody who’s either a public official or seeking elected office is completely, completely untenable.
“And it’s completely inconsistent with holding any kind of public office. So if it occurs in our ranks, then yes, absolutely,” she told Sky News.
“But it is reasonable to look at what’s happened with the candidate in Rochdale and with the parliamentary candidate in Hyndburn. There were very strong views on Israel and Gaza, I can see that. But they were saying far more than that.”
Sam Rkaina14 February 2024 09:00
Azhar Ali ‘was widely respected’
Pushed on whether there are flaws in candidate vetting, Mr Healey said: “Azhar Ali was widely respected, widely supported across communities, including the Jewish community in the North West, and there certainly are strong checks, the due diligence process as part of selecting Labour candidates.
“But you can’t see everything everywhere.
“What’s important is that if new information comes to light, as in this case, we will act to investigate, we will act to block those who are not fit to serve as MPs.”
Sam Rkaina14 February 2024 08:41
Shadow defence secretary says Labour will take complaints seriously
Labour’s John Healey was pressed on calls for any party member at the Rochdale meeting, who failed to act on the inflammatory comments, should be suspended.
The shadow defence secretary told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “We will follow the hard evidence that’s presented to us or that comes to light.”
He said: “Anyone at that meeting, if there is evidence that they have, that people acted or spoke in a way that doesn’t meet the standards, or is incompatible with the values of our Labour Party, they need to report it, provide it and the Labour Party will take it seriously and investigate it.
“It’s what we do with every case.”
Sam Rkaina14 February 2024 08:39
Starmer engulfed in second Labour antisemitism row after Rochdale by-election furore
The party acted after Graham Jones, the prospective Labour MP for Hyndburn, appeared to say that Britons who volunteer to fight for the Israel Defense Forces “should be locked up”.
Joe Middleton14 February 2024 06:00
ICYMI: Keir Starmer says he took ‘tough’ and ‘decisive’ action to suspend Azhar Ali
Keir Starmer says he took ‘tough’ and ‘decisive’ action to suspend Azhar Ali
Joe Middleton14 February 2024 05:00
Labour’s Rochdale by-election row part of antisemitism ‘tornado’ in UK, expert warns
Joe Middleton14 February 2024 04:00
Who cares if we pay for Matt Hancock’s Jag? We do (…but not as much as him)
He’s been the ‘former’ health secretary since 2021, but still he was ferried to the Covid Inquiry in a taxpayer-funded limo. It’s a reminder how keen they all are to hang on to their perks until they get their P45s, says James Moore
Joe Middleton14 February 2024 03:00
It is difficult to imagine anything good emerging from the wreckage of the Rochdale by-election
Editorial: Vague promises of ‘levelling up’ gone nowhere, grooming gangs, and now antisemitism – Rochdale deserves better than this
Joe Middleton14 February 2024 02:00
ICYMI: Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters rally outside Downing Street
Thousands of pro-Palestine protesters rally outside Downing Street
Joe Middleton14 February 2024 01:00