Labour is facing fury for allowing an “anti-Semitic” candidate to run for parliament after he accused Israel of allowing its citizens to be massacred.
Azhar Ali, who is standing to be the MP for Rochdale, claimed the October 7 attack went ahead because the Israeli state wanted the “green light” to invade Gaza.
But Sir Keir Starmer’s party confirmed he will still be contesting the by-election later this month.
Tory chairman Richard Holden said: “Time after time, Sir Keir Starmer says that he’s changed Labour. Time after time we’re seeing that simply isn’t true.
Powered By
00:00/00:52
10
10
LW: Diane and Ross talk about the intensity of banishments
Share
Next
Stay
“While vile racist slurs are freely exchanged within Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party, it is unfit to hold public office."
Labour Candidate Azhar Ali with Great Manchester mayor Andy Burnham at the Rochdale campaign launch (Image: Getty)
Mr Holden added: “Sir Keir Starmer should immediately remove Mr Ali’s Labour membership and suspend Labour’s campaign.
“If Labour won’t do that, the public will see that Labour is happy to run antisemitic candidates to attract racist votes and is therefore unfit to play a leading role in our nation’s affairs.”
Mr Ali is defending a 9,000 majority after he was chosen as Labour’s candidate for Rochdale when veteran MP Sir Tony Lloyd died from leukaemia last month.
He made the “warped” comments at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party following the atrocity, claiming the Israeli government removed its border security to allow Hamas to attack.
Labour candidate Azhar Ali is defending a 9,000 majority in Rochdale (Image: Getty)
In the recording obtained by the Mail on Sunday, he was heard telling the group: "The Egyptians are saying that they warned Israel ten 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."
After someone suggested Sir Keir was "held in high regard", Mr Ali replied: "Can I disagree with you... 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."
Mr Ali issued a statement after the comments were made public.
He said: "I apologise unreservedly to the Jewish community for my comments which were deeply offensive, ignorant, and false.
"Hamas's horrific terror attack was the responsibility of Hamas alone, and they are still holding hostages who must be released.
"7 October was the greatest loss of Jewish life in a single day since the Holocaust, and Jews in the UK and across the world are living in fear of rising antisemitism.
"I will urgently apologise to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments.
"The Labour Party has changed unrecognisably under Keir Starmer's leadership, he has my full support in delivering the change Britain needs."
The Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region said Mr Ali had a "long track record of interfaith work” but it had been "shocked and appalled" by his "warped thinking".
The Board of Deputies of British Jews said: "These comments are disgraceful and unforgivable.
"Were it not too late to do so, we would have called on Labour to replace Mr Ali as a candidate. It is clear to us that Mr Ali is not apologising out of a genuine sense of remorse.
"Despite what he says in his apology, we do not see how we could possibly engage with him at this time and we believe other leading Jewish communal groups will feel similarly."
Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Memorial Trust wrote on social media: "Outrageous, highly offensive, mad and unacceptable."
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Keir Starmer finally cuts ties with Labour by-election candidate after fresh row explodes
510 Comments
Slippery Starmer still committed to ‘farcical eco plan' - Richard Holden
33 Comments
Justice Minister Mike Freer to quit frontline politics over death threats
124 Comments
Gary Lineker mocked over fresh BBC row - ‘he's addicted to being talked about'
16 Comments
BBC sacks senior staff member who called Jewish people 'invader species'
415 Comments
Iran boasts about 'sending arms' to Palestine and 'training' Hamas terrorists
41 Comments
Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'
429 Comments
Keir Starmer 'running scared' of anti-Israel mob as he pulls out of event at last minute
113 Comments
Labour has shown the thuggish bigoted Left is alive and well
56 Comments
Michael Gove brands Keir Starmer ‘political jellyfish' as Tories unite over Labour U-turn
821 Comments
Jewish journalist shaking with rage at Gary Lineker's response after she called him out
230 Comments
We must not reward Hamas' barbaric violence of October 7th
81 Comments
Richard Tice hails proof that Tories are ‘terrified' of Reform UK in crunch by-election
632 Comments
Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'
213 Comments
Labour by-election candidate apologises for 'deeply offensive' Israel comments
383 Comments
Labour has shown it will prioritise political gain over fighting Israel haters
10 Comments
Labour under fire as party stands by Rochdale by-election candidate over Israel row
547 Comments
Labour's ‘hypocrite' Rochdale candidate demanded Tory suspension for anti-Semitic remark
216 Comments
Labour support among Muslims drops in poll blow as Keir Starmer faces Gaza backlash
410 Comments
Netanyahu 'willing to sacrifice hostages' to win Gaza war as Israel close to ending Hamas
179 Comments
Keir Starmer finally cuts ties with Labour by-election candidate after fresh row explodes
510 Comments
Slippery Starmer still committed to ‘farcical eco plan' - Richard Holden
33 Comments
Justice Minister Mike Freer to quit frontline politics over death threats
124 Comments
Gary Lineker mocked over fresh BBC row - ‘he's addicted to being talked about'
16 Comments
BBC sacks senior staff member who called Jewish people 'invader species'
415 Comments
Iran boasts about 'sending arms' to Palestine and 'training' Hamas terrorists
41 Comments
Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'
429 Comments
Keir Starmer 'running scared' of anti-Israel mob as he pulls out of event at last minute
113 Comments
Labour has shown the thuggish bigoted Left is alive and well
56 Comments
Michael Gove brands Keir Starmer ‘political jellyfish' as Tories unite over Labour U-turn
821 Comments
Jewish journalist shaking with rage at Gary Lineker's response after she called him out
230 Comments
We must not reward Hamas' barbaric violence of October 7th
81 Comments
Richard Tice hails proof that Tories are ‘terrified' of Reform UK in crunch by-election
632 Comments
Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'
213 Comments
Labour by-election candidate apologises for 'deeply offensive' Israel comments
383 Comments
Labour has shown it will prioritise political gain over fighting Israel haters
10 Comments
Labour under fire as party stands by Rochdale by-election candidate over Israel row
547 Comments
Labour's ‘hypocrite' Rochdale candidate demanded Tory suspension for anti-Semitic remark
216 Comments
Labour support among Muslims drops in poll blow as Keir Starmer faces Gaza backlash
410 Comments
Netanyahu 'willing to sacrifice hostages' to win Gaza war as Israel close to ending Hamas
179 Comments
Keir Starmer finally cuts ties with Labour by-election candidate after fresh row explodes
510 Comments
Slippery Starmer still committed to ‘farcical eco plan' - Richard Holden
33 Comments
Justice Minister Mike Freer to quit frontline politics over death threats
124 Comments
Gary Lineker mocked over fresh BBC row - ‘he's addicted to being talked about'
16 Comments
BBC sacks senior staff member who called Jewish people 'invader species'
415 Comments
Iran boasts about 'sending arms' to Palestine and 'training' Hamas terrorists
41 Comments
Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'
429 Comments
Labour’s election strategist Pat McFadden told Sky News the comments were “completely wrong” but said he would still remain Labour’s candidate.
"He's issued a complete apology and retraction and I hope he learns a good lesson from it because he should never have said something like that in the first place,” he added.
Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading
Start 30-day
FREE trial
Trending