Labour has suspended a second parliamentary candidate over allegations of antisemitism. Former MP Graham Jones is facing an investigation after reportedly using an expletive to refer to Israel and calling for British people who fight in the Israel Defence Forces to be “locked up”. Jones had been selected to contest his former Lancashire seat of Hyndburn in the upcoming general election, but ministers have confirmed that British nationals with dual nationalities can “serve in legitimately recognised armed forces of the country of their other nationalities”. It comes after the party withdrew support for Azhar Ali, its candidate for the Rochdale by-election, who was alleged to have made antisemitic remarks.
Jones’s alleged comments were described as “appalling and unacceptable” by the Jewish Labour Movement, which said it was “pleased” that he had been “swiftly suspended”. The group also criticised Labour for initially supporting Ali when he apologised for telling a meeting of its members that Israel had “allowed” Hamas attacks as a pretext to invade Gaza. Labour withdrew its support after the Daily Mail published a fuller recording of the meeting, in which Ali also appeared to blame “people in the media from certain Jewish quarters” for the suspension of MP Andy McDonald from the party.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has faced criticism in recent days for failing to withdraw support from Ali sooner. However, Lord Mann, the government’s adviser on antisemitism and a former Labour MP, supported Starmer’s decision, saying: “It was a bold decision, basically to throw away a parliamentary seat.” If elected, Ali will now sit as an independent. Other candidates in the Rochdale by-election include former Labour MPs Simon Danczuk and George Galloway
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