Labour has cut ties with its Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali over his shocking remarks at a meeting, which were exposed by the Daily Mail. Mr Ali was caught on tape blaming Jewish media figures for stirring up trouble against a Labour MP who supported Palestine.
This means Labour will have no candidate on the ballot paper, as it is too late to find a replacement. Mr Ali could still win the seat as an independent MP, but he has not responded to requests for comment.
Labour had been backing Mr Ali as a candidate, even after the Mail on Sunday revealed that he had accused Israel of “allowing” the Hamas attack.
Mr Ali later said sorry “to Jewish leaders for my inexcusable comments”.
But on Monday night, the Daily Mail released another recording, allegedly of Mr Ali, accusing “people in the media from certain Jewish quarters” of getting Andy McDonald suspended from the Labour Party.
McDonald was kicked out last year after saying: “We will not rest until we have justice. Until all people, Israelis and Palestinians, between the river and the sea, can live in peaceful liberty.”
The voice on the recording also claims that Israel wanted to “wipe out [Palestinians] from Gaza” and “steal” the land.
He also seems to brag about stopping Israeli flags from being flown from local public buildings after the deadly attack by Hamas gunmen on 7 October.
