Labour’s Rochdale by-election candidate claimed Israel ‘allowed Hamas attacks’

Azhar Ali launches his by-election campaign for Rochdale – Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

Labour’s by-election candidate for Rochdale was “completely wrong” to accuse Israel of deliberately letting Hamas massacre its citizens in order to get the “green light” to attack Gaza, a shadow minister has said.

Pat McFadden, Labour’s National Campaign Coordinator, said Azhar Ali was right to apologise for claiming the Israelis relaxed their security to pave the way for the slaughter of their own people on October 7, so they would have justification for launching an assault of their own.

But he confirmed Mr Ali would remain Labour’s candidate at the upcoming by-election on February 29, despite a fierce backlash from Jewish groups.

The inflammatory remarks were made at a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party shortly after the Hamas terror attacks, according to the Mail on Sunday.

In a secret recording obtained by the newspaper, Mr Ali is reported to have said: “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.”

Apology

The Rochdale candidate has apologised “unreservedly” for the comments, describing them as “deeply offensive, ignorant, and false”.

On Sunday, Mr McFadden, Labour’s shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, condemned the remarks as “completely wrong”.

“He should never have said something like that. It is of course completely wrong to say that,” he told Sky News’ Sunday With Trevor Phillips.

“I saw this last night. 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.”

Asked whether Labour was happy to field a candidate who held such beliefs, he said: “Well, no, that’s why he’s issued a complete retraction and apology. It was wrong to say that, he should never have said it. And it’s right that he has completely apologised now. And he himself said it was wrong to say it. And that’s the right thing to do.”

But he confirmed Mr Ali will be Labour’s candidate in the upcoming contest to replace the former MP Sir Tony Lloyd, who died in January aged 73.

Rifts over Middle East conflict

The controversy threatens to exacerbate rifts in the party over the conflict in the Middle East – with Sir Keir Starmer under pressure from several of his own MPs to call for an immediate ceasefire.

Mr Ali was also said to have claimed the Labour leader has lost the confidence of the parliamentary party on the issue.

When someone suggested Sir Keir was “held in high regard”, he reportedly 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.”

Tory vice-chairman Craig Tracey told the Mail on Sunday: “The fact that Sir Keir’s candidate for Rochdale is spreading these bizarre and offensive anti-Israel conspiracy theories shows that for all his bluster, he’s failed to change his party.”

In a statement to the newspaper, Mr Ali 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.

“October 7 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 anti-Semitism.

“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.”

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