Labour Party, under the glossy nasal veneer of Sir Keir Starmer’s lawyerly leadership, seems to be wrestling with the same old ghost – antisemitism.
Now, I'm not one to beat around the bush, so let's lay it out bare. Despite Starmer's claims of turning a new leaf after the Jeremy Corbyn era, recent events suggest the party's still playing footsie with some rather unsavoury views.
There have been a slew of resignations in local politics and in Starmer’s very own Shadow Cabinet over Labour’s stance. But there have been more than a few backbench MPs offering contributions that call into question the vision of Labour as a ‘changed’ party.
Take the case of MP Kate Osamor. Suspended for equating Gaza with genocides, including the Holocaust. Now, that's not just a faux pas, that's a slap in the face to history. Sure, criticise government policies, but equating a geopolitical conflict with the systematic extermination of six million Jews? That's not just stepping over the line; that's taking a running leap over it!
Sir Keir Starmer can't seem to get a grasp over antisemitism in the party
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And then there's Tahir Ali, the MP for Birmingham Hall Green. Accusing Israel of "genocide" and "war crimes" in Gaza during Prime Minister's questions, even arguing Rishi Sunak himself had blood on his hands.
He chose to bring up Gaza over his own constituents' issues during his one chance to ask the Prime Minister a question.
Of course, there’s a convenient sidestepping of any mention of Hamas – a group unambiguously recognised as a terrorist organisation by the UK, the EU, the US, and others. A group that, let's not forget, has committed many atrocities of its own. Is this selective amnesia, or something more insidious?
But wait, there's more. The same MP, Ali, defies his party leader, Sir Keir Starmer, by backing an SNP motion for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. A ceasefire sounds good on paper, but it's a tad naive, isn't it? Especially without acknowledging the full picture, including the actions of Hamas.
Would we in Britain expect our leaders to not take out an enemy that bombs our nation, rapes our women, kidnaps our people and terrorises from next door?
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Tahir Ali accused Israel of 'genocide' and 'war crimes' in Gaza during PMQs
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On Holocaust Memorial Day itself, Labour’s Lambeth Council leader Claire Holland was interrupted by Palestinian flags and hecklers as she set out a roster of events for the day, it was an utterly shameless and frankly heartless display.
We have a serious problem – clear as day. Especially as far too many in that party seem all too keen on appeasing such people.
Labour, it seems, has a knack for placing terrorists over Telford and the Middle East over Middlesex. Candidates standing for selection in Rochdale, for example, spoke of calling for a ceasefire as a key priority, with nothing proffered about the rape gang scandal in that very patch.
Ali’s performance in PMQs was nothing short of a disgrace. It's as if he and his cronies are more interested in scoring points with countries that couldn't care less about Britain or our values.
And then there’s Jeremy Corbyn himself, still obsessing over the Middle East, tweeting away about our money for bombs but none for the needy back home. How about redirecting some of that misplaced outrage towards your friends in Hamas, eh, Jez? Maybe ask them to stop turning water pipes we fund into weapons.
Starmer holds his head in his hands
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Since 1990 the Palestinian population has risen by millions, more than doubling. If the Israelis are committing genocide on a scale tantamount to that of the Nazi attempt to eradicate the Jews, I would offer that they’re not doing a very good job. And why is it always the Jews that are singled out for condemnation when they dare defend themselves?
Let's take a stroll down the murky path of recent history. We've seen devastating conflicts across Yemen, Afghanistan, Congo, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Iraq, and Libya. Death tolls in these places are staggering – we're talking about hundreds of thousands of lives lost. The kind of numbers that should make anyone's blood run cold. But do we hear the big "G" word – genocide – being bandied about? Not a chance!
What we have here is a pattern. Labour MPs, under constituency pressure, cross from legitimate Israel criticism into antisemitism territory. It's one thing to champion Palestinian rights; it's another to twist facts and history to fit a narrative.
Starmer has his work cut out for him. Unless he gets a firm grip on these narratives, Labour's antisemitism problem will linger like a bad smell. It's high time to open the windows and let some fresh air in.
