Azhar Ali: What other Labour members have been suspended under Keir Starmer?

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Following a harmful antisemitism row, Labour has withdrawn help for its former candidate within the Rochdale by-election, Azhar Ali.

Mr Ali faces allegations of antisemitism for feedback he made at a gathering of other Labour members, the place he mentioned that Israel had “allowed” final 12 months’s October 7 assault to occur to make use of as a pretext to invade Gaza.

Labour had initially stood by their candidate, arguing he had “fell for an online conspiracy theory”. They subsequently withdrew help, in gentle of “new information”. Mr Ali has mentioned he apologises “unreservedly” for his feedback.

This isn’t the primary time Keir Starmer’s Labour has acted to droop members because of allegations of antisemitism or racism, typically in very high-profile circumstances. The North London MP has pledged the get together under his management will have “zero tolerance of antisemitism, of racism, of discrimination of any kind”.

However, others have accused the get together under Mr Starmer’s management of displaying a factional desire within the disciplinary course of. Most not too long ago Matt Forde KC, creator of an antisemitism report into the Labour get together, has mentioned the dealing with of Mr Ali’s case was “shambolic” and raises questions round “disparity in treatment”.

Here’s a breakdown of other notable Labour members who have been suspended from the get together following allegations of racism or antisemitism:

Jeremy Corbyn

Former Labour chief Jeremy Corbyn was suspended in October 2020 after rejecting the conclusions of a report into antisemitism within the get together. Claiming the issue was “dramatically overstated for political reasons,” the veteran politician got here into direct battle together with his successor Keir Starmer.

A Labour spokesman mentioned on the time that Corbyn was being suspended “for a failure to retract” his phrases. Over two years later, Starmer confirmed Corbyn wouldn’t be allowed to face as a Labour MP.

How has he responded?

Corbyn initially reacted by saying he would “strongly contest” his suspension, calling it “political”. Following this, he supplied clarification of he feedback, however not an apology or retraction.

“The point I wished to make was that the vast majority of Labour Party members were and remain committed anti-racists deeply opposed to antisemitism,” wrote the previous chief, “I fully support Keir Starmer’s decision to accept all the EHRC recommendations in full”.

It is anticipated Mr Corbyn will nonetheless stand as an impartial candidate in Islington North, the seat he has held since 1983.

Diane Abbott

In April 2023, Diane Abbott was suspended from the get together after suggesting in The Observer that “white-seeming” Irish folks, Jews and Travellers don’t expertise racism in the identical method as non-white folks do. The get together moved shortly, asserting her suspension the identical day.

Over 9 months later, Abbott stays suspended as get together officers say the investigation is ongoing.

How has she responded?

After her suspension, Abbott apologised and mentioned she wished to “wholly and unreservedly withdraw” her remarks. The MP mentioned: “The errors arose in an initial draft being sent. But there is no excuse, I wish to apologise for any anguish caused”.

The veteran MP has since mentioned she believes there’s “no investigation”, and that she suspects the get together is utilizing disciplinary course of to “bar me from standing at the next election”.

Rebecca Long-Bailey

Former shadow training secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey was sacked in June 2020. She had shared an article by Maxine Peake, through which the actor claimed “tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services”.

Long-Bailey had shared the article in a tweet, stating that Ms Peake was “an absolute diamond”, with a second tweet to make clear that she didn’t help “all aspects” of the article. Starmer eliminated Long-Bailey from her shadow cupboard submit only a few hours later, though she was not suspended.

“I asked Rebecca Long-Bailey to step down from the shadow cabinet for sharing the article,” the Labour chief mentioned. “I didn’t do that because she is antisemitic, I did it because she shared the article which has got, in my view, antisemitic conspiracy theories in it.”

How has she responded?

Following her suspension, Long-Bailey wrote in a Twitter thread: “In no way was my retweet an intention to endorse every part of that article.” She defined that the get together had requested her to take down her two unique tweets, however that she couldn’t accomplish that “in good conscience”. The tweets not exist immediately – it’s unclear once they had been deleted.

“I had asked to discuss these matters with Keir before agreeing what further action to take, but sadly he had already made his decision,” she wrote. Long-Bailey stays a backbench Labour MP for Salford and Eccles.

Andy McDonald

Former shadow employment secretary Andy McDonald was suspended in October 2023, three days after repeating the slogan “from the river to the sea” at a peace rally organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. The phrase, long-used by pro-Palestine campaigners and activists, has been topic to intense debate since final years’ October 7 Hamas assault.

Mr McDonald’s full assertion was: “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.”

A Labour spokesperson mentioned: “The comments made by Andy McDonald at the weekend were deeply offensive, particularly at a time of rising antisemitism which has left Jewish people fearful for their safety.”

Mr McDonald confirmed on Twitter that he had been positioned under “precautionary suspension” for 3 months. However he stays suspended previous this deadline.

How has he responded?

Following his suspension, Mr McDonald wrote that he was “saddened” by the information, and that he regarded ahead to “engaging and fully co-operating with the inquiry”. He added that his phrases “should not be construed in any other way than they were intended, namely as a heartfelt plea for an end to the killings in Israel, Gaza, and the occupied West Bank”.

In the next months, Mr McDonald has been proactive in guaranteeing the media construes his phrases precisely, forcing a number of corrections. He is suing Conservative MP Chris Clarkson for accusing him of ‘seeking to justify’ the Hamas October 7 assault.

Mr McDonald had already stood down from his submit as Shadow Secretary for Employment in 2021, accusing Keir Starmer of failing on his commitments to employees and never delivering on his pledges.

Kate Osamor

Edmonton MP Kate Osamor was suspended in January 2024 for saying on Holocaust Memorial Day that the scenario in Gaza needs to be recognised as a genocide. She wrote to get together members that there was an ‘“international duty” to recollect Holocaust victims, but additionally these of “more recent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and now Gaza”.

How has she responded?

Ms Osamor later posted an apology on Twitter / X saying: “Holocaust Memorial Day is a day to remember the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust and the genocides that have occurred since.

“I apologise for any offence caused by my reference to the ongoing humanitarian disaster in Gaza as part of that period of remembrance.”

However, Ms Osamor stays suspended from the get together as investigations proceed.

Graham Jones

Former Hyndburn MP Graham Jones, looking for re-election in his seat, was suspended shortly after Azhar Ali. He was recorded repeatedly referring to Israel as “f***ing Israel” and saying British nationals who be a part of the Israel Defence Forces needs to be “locked up”.

This audio, launched by Guido Fawkes, was allegedly recorded on the identical assembly Mr Ali had made the remarks that result in his personal suspension. The Jewish Labour Movement known as his feedback “appalling and unacceptable”.

How has he responded?

Mr Jones has not but publicly responded to information of his suspension.