Why is Starmer Standing by Azhar Ali?

[Dogfisher]

AIBU to think that he should be out on his ear for his blatant anti-Semitism? I actually thought that Starmer was dealing with this in the LP - but this seems to suggest otherwise.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/feb/12/labour-criticised-for-backing-rochdale-candidate-after-offensive-israel-remark

How was his comment “antisemitic” ?

Of course it was an appalling thing to say.

In the recording, which has not been heard by the BBC, Mr Ali is alleged to have said: "The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel 10 days earlier... Americans warned them a day before [that] there's something happening... They deliberately took the security off, they allowed... that massacre that gives them the green light to do whatever they bloody want."

I consider this to be anti-Semitic and I guess he did too otherwise why proffer his fulsome apology?

The question is why Starmer has not sacked him.

He would be on the ballot as the Labour candidate what ever the Labour party said.

If you think it logically then worse case scenario then this man will be a MP until December, best case scenario he will on be there until May.

To be honest if look at the candidates then I would probably vote Lib Dem. As the Tory candidate is the partner of Peter Bone the previous disgraced Tory MP.

I'm very surprised after the Corbyn/Labour antisemitic allegations.

I think it's a scraping the bottom of the barrel tactic and purposely done. They can't suspend him apparently, which is suspiciously convenient. And it's also got Labour a lot of media attention, when Muslims are abandoning them, up and down the country, due to their stance on Israel.

I'm from Rochdale and Labour are hemorraging the block vote to George Galloway.

The way the ongoing scandal of Oldham Council on Grooming gangs and then Rochdale has turned other voters off.

In the statement issued on Sunday morning, Mr Ali said: “I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false

His apology for those who may not have seen it.

But again, why is it antisemitic ? It’s certainly a dumb thing to say.

I’m so flipping disappointed. Just when I thought Starmer had tackled the antisemitism within the party and I could vote without the worry about that, here we are.

Yes, he has said this about the Muslim vote which may explain his comments:

The Labour councillor is also alleged to have said that Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has “lost the confidence of the parliamentary party”. He said: “A lot of the MPs I’ve spoken to, non-Muslim MPs, feel that on this issue, he’s lost the confidence of the parliamentary party.”

But Starmer has not publicly condemned him - I am minded to agree with Grotbag81 that this is a deliberate tactic. Which is grotesque.

I don't see how saying Israel may have been warned is antisemitism?

It's rather more shocking that they had absolutely no idea a coordinated offensive to murder their citizens was unfolding... they really were that ignorant and caught unawares... (despite having an excellent security service)

I’m astonished Starmer is still supporting him…it makes a mockery of all his “I will tear out anti-semitism by its roots” rhetoric.

I wish I could say that I am shocked that posters are crawling out of the woodwork to agree with him. I am profoundly depressed to see it though.

I don't see how saying Israel may have been warned is antisemitism?

He didn’t just say Israel was warned though?

What did he say that was antisemitic ?

It's rather more shocking that they had absolutely no idea a coordinated offensive to murder their citizens was unfolding... they really were that ignorant and caught unawares... (despite having an excellent security service)

Not shocking looking at history. The CIA repeatedly warned the US government that a big Al Qaeda attack was coming. MI5 missed an opportunity to stop the Manchester bombing. It does happen…

You don't think that spouting fictitious conspiracy theories (which apparently he claims that he 'fell for') about the torture and murder of Jewish people is anti-Semitic?

@brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

you don’t think it’s antisemitic to say Isreal allowed the attack? Why is it not antisemitic?

@Dogfisher ignore the baiters. The faux ignorant. The baffled.

It's obvious what he said that was wrong. He was taped saying it and has seen apologised for being grossly offensive.

Still not enough for some people.

Why are you so sure it's a conspiracy theory?

Israel security so crap they had no idea that over 1000 people were going to be murdered. And multiple states lying about having warned them.

Pull the other one.

Even if it is a conspiracy theory it's not antisemitic to be suspicious. In the same way it's not anti American to have suspicions about 9/11 (which plenty of people do).

This guy is entitled to his view and I'm not going to fall about crying racism for it... or allow it to affect our own elections. Because that would be righteous and stupid:

Because what he said doesn’t attack Jewish people for being Jewish.

It was a dumb thing to say but what he said suggests a government / intelligence organisation underperformed.

It's odd because those who pretend that he has said nothing wrong seem to be LP supporters and cannot see that Starmer not roundly condemning this is harming the LP badly.

I would love to go back to voting Labour but clearly anti-Semitism is still ok after all and I will not vote for that.