Labour stands by by-election candidate despite ‘deeply offensive’ Israel claims
Labour is facing criticism for standing by its Rochdale by-election candidate, even after he claimed that Israel allowed Hamas to carry out its October 7 attack to provide grounds to invade Gaza.
Azhar Ali apologised for his “deeply offensive” comments after he was recorded telling a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party that Israel had deliberately relaxed security after warnings of an imminent threat.
Labour’s decision to stick with Mr Ali has raised questions about Sir Keir Starmer’s claim to have changed his party since Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, when it was embroiled in an antisemitism
