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

And another one. Talking about "jewish media" has nothing to do with Israel, it is stoking anti semitic hatred against ordinary British citizens.

Anyone else trying to drown out the facts by pretending this didn't happen? Happy to keep repeating as often as necessary.

It makes you think carefully about the attitudes of the local party doing the selection. What Ali said is a problem because of its absolute stupidity as well as its antisemitism. I mean, if he's in politics, you would have thought he had a reasonable awareness of not engaging in conspiracy. Awful.

Or because there was nothing to scrutinise. He seemed like the perfect candidate and had worked with both Muslim and Jewish groups. Jewish groups supported labour not dropping him after the first lot of remarks were released because it might have paved the way for Galloway.

Personally I think he got caught up in a meeting of local Palestinian supporters who he was treating as would be labour voters who were very vocal and passionate about the war in Gaza. I think his emotions were running high and he made a foolish mistake that is out of his past character. Lots will disagree.

Not 'bloodthirsty jews' 'bloodthirsty Israeli government'.
The Israeli government's actions are not beyond reproach on account of the fact that those in power are Jewish.
I absolutely hate the Tory government in this country, I think the stereotype of self serving arrogant toffs is very accurate. If some of them happen to be black or Hindu does that mean I am racist or anti-Hindu?
Of course not, I am challenging the actions of specific people, not their religious beliefs.

And still they come...

@Grandmasswag - rabble rousing and engaging in a spot of conspiracy because he's in a meeting? Useless candidate, not got the moral strength for the job.

Damn right! And how many times do we keep having to explain this?!

The American Jewish Committee is hardly an impartial organisation here is it...
The landing page of their website specifically says that their purpose is to advocate for the Jewish people (could be impartial) and Israel (definitely not impartial).

People don't generally get described as "carried away" into suddenly making racist, sexist, homophobic or other bigoted remarks.

It's really easy. He is a racist, he got caught out. Others were there and thought it was ok. Some on this thread thought it was OK. I'm horrified, and very distressed at the number of depraved people there are.

Same

No and that’s why Labour ultimately had to withdraw support. I don’t think what he did was right, I’m just saying I can see how it happened. It’s a real shame because there are going to be (there are) community tensions over this war and he came down on the side of stoking them, when his past actions have very much revolved around bringing the community together.

It's really easy. He is a racist, he got caught out. Others were there and thought it was ok. Some on this thread thought it was OK. I'm horrified, and very distressed at the number of depraved people there are

This.

It's not that people don't understand and need it explaining, they just disagree that any criticism of the Israeli government must be founded on prejudice and tropes rather than on objective judgement of their actions.

It wasn't a community meeting, it was a private meeting of Labour councillors who were concerned about Labour's position on Gaza

I think the fact that you are shocked by this suggests that you normally only discuss this with people who hold the some views as you, an 'echo chamber's scenario.

Or because there was nothing to scrutinise.

There should always be scrutiny. Neither main party does this well. There have been some absolute stinkers on both sides.

I actually disagree. Everyone on this planet has bigotries, prejudice’s that will depend on their life experience and backgrounds. They can easily come out in heightened situations. This is what people mean when they say we must ‘do the work’. People can behave differently and out of character when they’re in large groups and ‘groupthink’ takes over. If they didn’t we wouldn’t have wars and atrocities, dictatorships, etc.

The fact that he succumbed to going with the crowd instead of remembering to ‘do the work’ shows he’s not suitable to be an MP for the probable next ruling party. Which is why they’ve withdrawn.

@Grandmasswag - I'm glad it came out. Very. The UK has enough division. It doesn't need to import it and people working these angles in our society are not democrats, imo.

Who on earth is blaming Jews worldwide for Israel's actions?
I think there are some who would judge Jewish people negatively for continuing to support Israel, but I have seen nothing holding Jewish people to account.
The explanations of how disapproving of Israel's actions means you are anti-Semitic are becoming ever more tenuous...

What was antisemitic was saying that Israel deliberately allowed the abduction and mass murder of their own people, in order to give them an excuse to invade Gaza.

I will never believe that - their security has always been unbelievably tight and vigilant - it has needed to be. I well remember the case of some poor gullible girl who was led to believe that some vile man was in love with her and wanted to marry her. He told her they’d get married in Israel and gave her a suitcase to take - with her wedding dress in. He would meet her there, and told her to book the El Al flight on her own.

She was identified at once as potentially suspect as soon as she went to book the flight - she just seemed ‘wrong’.

The much more serious checks came when she tried to check in for the flight. Of course the suitcase contained a bomb, intended to blow the poor girl up, along with everyone else on that plane.

You must be very surprised when it was then revealed that he also made a clear antisemitic statement against Jews.

Whereas some other people are not surprised at all.

I can't see any reference to 'Jewish media' in the posts you have quoted here...

Can you please post a link to this clear anti-Semitic statement?

It's been detailed extensively in this thread already.

@HelloWorldItsNiceToMeetYou 'the Jewish media were giving s**t about what he said....

https://labourlist.org/2024/02/azhar-ali-who-is-labours-rochdale-by-election-candidate-what-did-he-say-and-whats-the-latest/