Rochdale candidate’s Israel comments aren’t about the by-election – but Sir Keir Starmer’s political decision-making
While the row over Azhar Ali may be connected to the upcoming Rochdale by-election, it’s really a story about Sir Keir Stamer and his ability to make difficult political decisions.
No one is disputing Mr Ali did say that Israel allowed the 7 October attacks to take place. No one – including Mr Ali himself – is disputing those remarks were ignorant, false and offensive. And yet, he remains Labour’s candidate.
Part of the explanation for that is technical.
It’s now too late for Labour to swap in someone else with the official deadline having elapsed days ago. So he will be on the ballot paper.
The question for Sir Keir is whether the party disavows their candidate, stops campaigning for him in Rochdale, and makes it clear he would not sit as a Labour MP if he did win the vote.
As it stands, he is not doing any of these things – with a senior shadow minister telling Sky News Mr Ali will be the candidate.
What complicates matters for Labour is there is a degree of precedent for acting.
Last month, MP Kate Osamor had the Labour whip suspended after saying Gaza should be remembered as a genocide on Holocaust Memorial Day.
If she was kicked out, why – opposition parties ask – should Azhar Ali be allowed to stay? This is where it gets political.
The message clearly went out from Tory high command on Sunday lunchtime to zero in on Labour’s refusal to ditch their man.
In quick succession, cabinet ministers began posting their views that this all showed Labour hasn’t really changed and that antisemitism is still tolerated.
Given their dismal position in the polls, the Tories clearly sense a political opportunity here.
A senior minister was even mobilised on a Sunday afternoon to comment on camera.
For Sir Keir Starmer, junking his candidate would be embarrassing and would risk losing the seat.
But standing by him – as Labour has done so far in quite explicit terms – means the attacks from the Tories and other rival parties will continue – and risks leading to a humiliating U-turn.
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It’s something of a Westminster cliché that the life of a prime minister is made up of constantly being forced to pick the least-worst option from a set of choices that are all undesirable.
Last week’s announcement by Labour to ditch the controversial £28 billion green spending pledge was one of those decision points – and it led to criticism about how the party handled the change. This is another one.
And that’s why what Sir Keir Starmer does next – and how quickly he does it – will be closely watched.