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

Are you saying all Muslims are anti-Semitic? Or that Muslims will all vote for this MP because he happens to be Muslim?

Sorry, fast moving thread but my post above should have included @Skodacool.

@tara66 I am still not sure what response times has to do with this thread? Did he cover that in his statement? Mr Ali?

Is this a holocaust reference? I don't understand why the holocaust means that Jews today mustn't be accused of conspiracy. Are Jews uniquely immune from this worldwide phenomenon?

No option really. Too close to the election to parachute another candidate in. Which would be suicide.

People are holding their noses and voting Labour. Many would defect to Galloway. Or just not vote.

Additionally Ali is simply repeating what the US and Egyptian governments have said. His conspiracy theory is wrong though. This time. That's the problem the Israelis have now : they are no longer getting the benefit of the doubt as their conduct in general is so appalling. I imagine this guy will be quietly stood down after the GE though.

Starmer has made a rod for his own back , everything and anything is anti semitic to get rid of Corbyn and his allies. Now it's biting him on the arse. Tough.

To replace an MP you have to have a byelection. MPs are voted for, not parties. So Labour can't just "replace" him if they win.

Once again, you can't "quietly stand down" an MP. There has to be a byelection, because we vote for MPs, not parties.

I'm sorry, but why the fuckis it the responsibility of non-Isralei Jewish people to demand anything if a foreign government

This.

No problem. He just doesn't stand at the GE. Ill health, age , more time with family? Course he might stand as an Independent...tricky.

How is that antisemitic??? How come you can't discuss anything to do with the Israel situation without being labelled as antisemitic??

Maybe read the thread and you will see that this has been explained many times to posters like you.

This.

Cormorant where on this thread has anyone said that they plan to vote Tory because of how hopeless Starmer is? Can you show me?

It absolutely hasn’t. There have been a few handwaves towards the “conspiracy” bit of IHRA guidance which isn’t applicable here as this guy’s utterances were not in any way invoking the disgusting “global cabal” conspiracy trope.

I am sure a few Israelis are asking themselves the same question.

Isn’t what he said similar to what people said about Pearl Harbour in WW2, i.e. that the American’s ignored the warnings as they wanted a reason to join the war?

That wasn’t anti-American, so I’m struggling to see how this was anti-Semitic? He was very silly to share conspiracy’s , which calls his intelligence into question, but he didn't say he didn’t like Jewish people?

Why did he say this then?

"I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false.

My heart is breaking for all the innocent people from BOTH communities,who are ,in effect. hostages in this conflict. Whatever the atrocities of the past - and there are lots- we can't do anything about them.But we can and should be, trying to prevent atrocities being carried out on anyone,in the present and future.

And anyone trying to deal with the situation in the MIddle East, is effectively rendered helpless, because if we condemn the actions of the Isreali government (not saying anything about theirmotives,which can only be a guess - but their Actions) it's said to be antisemitic, but by not criticing we are implicitly saying that their actions towards the innocent Palestians are OK. Which they're not, by any stretch of the imagination. It has been said that 'an eye for an eyejust makes everyone blind. There is an age old conflict and innocent Israelis and Palestinians are being used as the punchbag and it's not right,in my opinion.

This could be construed as gaslighting.

This could be construed as gaslighting

Sorry, what?

Starmer is standing by Ali because he thinks politically it's the best thing to do. If it was one of Corbyn's allies he would have denounced Ali in a flash. I quite like Starmer but think he's being a huge hypocrite here. It all may backfire on him.

Is there any need for that? @Neriah scrapping the bottom of the barrel somewhat?