To think that Kier Starmer shouldn't be welcoming extremists into Britain?

[Twiglets1]

Reported in The Telegraph today that Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed an alleged Islamist extremist, who labelled British people “dogs and monkeys” and called for Zionists to be killed, into the UK.

The Prime Minister said he was “delighted” that Alaa Abd el-Fattah had arrived from Egypt on Friday evening after a travel ban imposed by Cairo was lifted following lobbying by ministers.

Mr Abd el-Fattah, an activist with dual British-Egyptian citizenship, previously said that it was heroic to kill Zionists “including civilians”. He urged Londoners to burn Downing Street, told his supporters to kill police and said he hated white people.

Ministers are facing calls to revoke his British citizenship, which he was granted in 2021 while imprisoned in Egypt, where campaigners described him as a “prisoner of conscience”.

Sir Keir’s tweet yesterday said how “delighted” he was that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in this country. Does that seem a reasonable stance to take for someone who has claimed at the same time to be committed to "eradicating antisemitism in the UK"?

Thanks Happy x

I agree, and apparently so did Alaa Abd El-Fattah

In case it gets held up by the checkers, he said:

"I know that the essence of sarcasm is that it doesn't adhere to ethical rules, but rape and torture, I'm not able to accept that they become topics for sarcasm."

and

"what I'm saying is I don't usually ask for jokes to be PC, that doesn't make sense, but somehow jokes about rape and torture r diff"

both posts from 2013, so after his other statements.

I’m just wondering what Kier Starmer is thinking now, what is going on behind the scenes. Is he scrambling to save his reputation, blame others for not doing his due diligence or could he, considering his family is Jewish, actually be able to reflect on his actions and understand that he has made the UK feel really unsafe for most of the population, after all it is not just the Jewish population that this man hates and actively calls for the death of. With regards to the research of this man’s history and if the governments should have known about his views he wasn’t exactly covert about them, they were on twitter for all to see. Now luckily although it’s name is now X Mr Starmer has decided to use the same approach and we can all see how he feels about us too.

Its ok to make a mistake, to not be aware of tweets, seems like this and previous Con governments didn't know either BUT once he knew, i just cannot fathom the thought process around the current response.

He is doing himself no favours when Labour supporters and other centre left posters on here don't understand it either.

Legal eagles say the removal of citizenship would be difficult, so perhaps Sunak and Patel can step up and say why he was given it in the first place?

Definitely - have you seen this as well - Keir Starmer gave peerage to former aide who campaigned for child sex offender;

https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/westminster/25727169.flynn-demands-lords-block-ex-pm-aide-campaigned-paedophile/
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/starmer-matthew-doyle-peerage-sean-morton-b2891118.html

Oh I blame the conservative government for the start of the process to make him a citizen, be under no doubt about that.
However put yourself into the position of the Jewish citizens of the UK who’s ancestors were arrested by their governments, packed into trains and sent to camps to be tortured, killed and experimented on, all within living memory.
Then ask them to trust the word of an ex human rights lawyer, now prime minister of the UK that he didn’t know the extent of the tweets of a man who was imprisoned in Egypt with one of the accusations being his spreading of disinformation and hate on social media.

Mark my words, he’ll be up on the stage at Glastonbury, being cheered by a big crowd of those quite thrilled to be called dogs and monkeys.

I know antisemitism has been on the rise.

I know pro Palestinian demonstrations have encouraged it.

My heart goes out to British Jews.

I genuinely think if this man had just been a vile racist attacking western democracy and calling us dogs and monkeys he would have not had any support.

Frame it as anti Zionism and pro Muslim /Arab and you can be as hateful as you like.

Is the antisemitic electorate in the UK big enough to sell your soul for or (and I hate to think this) is the irrational hatred of the Jews championed by the Nazis still a thing a modern western society?

Crikey, Clav!

At one point we would have said it in jest, along with welcoming Begum back in. Blimey.

The major issue is the grant of citizenship because the remaining legal rights under the ECHR would then naturally flow from that.

Why did any government think this man should be a citizen of the UK? That is still an open question now. I would like the answer that was given in 2021. It does not mean it is still true in 2026. Citizenship is not a right. It is a legal gift. Why was this given to him at all? A detailed explanation should be given for that decision

Absolutely but put this on another thread please, this one is To think that Kier Starmer shouldn't be welcoming extremists into Britain?

No. That is to place the cart before the horse.

in case posters haven't seen it - this is Yvette Cooper's letter about the situation

I suspect this is now going to be an endless game of pass the buck.

x.com/Keir_Starmer/status/2005714639196414123

The point to be made here is the sin of welcoming an anti semite is the same to Conservative and Labour governments.

However, the grant of citizenship is something that did not need to happen. My question is why it did, because that was likely to dictate what happened afterwards

https://x.com/khaledhzakariah/status/2005473072585883937?s=61&t=rGNILxnWMimQU8aTZp6AmQ

Interesting comment here suggesting that the Egyptian authorities maintain that the UK Govt was explicitly briefed on Abd El-Fattahs social media comments, along with the suggestion that they may strip him of his Egyptian citizenship now so he becomes the UKs problem:

So ministers didn't know and civil servants didn't know.
(And joyously, lessons will be learned).

Glad that's all sorted out.

Great. Lucky us. As for Starmer knowing that should be looked in to.

What an excellent point which should inform a grant of citizenship and subsequent efforts

So the government are busy claiming ignorance and spreading the blame. What are they actually doing to rid the UK of this violence-inciting, racist, homophobic religious zealot? How much has already been spent on helping and importing this extremist and how much is it going to cost to monitor or attempt to deport him? Why was adding another dangerous hate-monger to the UK's roster a 'top priority' for the government? We need speedy action and measures taken to ensure nobody like this is ever gifted citizenship again; we don't need more arse-covering. Two days ago they were all proud of themselves for importing this man.

These are the people over seeing the stamping of visas and citizenships. John McDonnell has come out with a robust defence of this reprehensible man tonight, and Keir Starmer maintains that "he is welcomed into our country" whilst sheepishly leaking an "urgent enquiry"regarding due diligence to try to stage manage the appalling optics of it all. This is the fault of both the Tories and the Labour Party and this is only one viral example of the extent to which they hate us, the Blairite Uniparty has well and truly had its day at this point and collectively they all need to go.

McDonnell is as untrustworthy as Corbyn. Imagine if these two had won the election race. The only thing I will say about Starmer is that he is staving the socialists off BUT he's got no backbone. The socialists are breaking down the barricade so that leaves the door open for a Raynor return. How many more charlatans do we need in this government? If you were against the Tory Charlatans you should be against the promotion of this so called political activist. The welfare of the British public should be left right and centre. Yes that includes Jews and they deserve protection, not backstabbing.

@Somerford meant to say, great post from you.

I don't really understand how Starmer can justify making that Tweet. Either he knew about Abd El-Fattahs previous statements, in which case making the tweet is indefensible, or he didn't know about his previous statements, which in itself is indefensible, because the government, will all their resources, should know more than people on social media.

And if they didn't know, how can we trust that they aren't letting in any number of extremists without checking into their background and past?

I really think Starmer has to resign over this.

No chance of him doing that but I do suspect there's a night of the long knives going on to oust him.