Rochdale by-election: Starmer insists he was decisive on Azhar Ali

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he has taken “decisive action” on comments made by Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali about Israel and the Jewish people.

Labor was criticized for initially siding with Mr Ali after it emerged he had claimed Israel had “permitted” the October 7 attacks carried out by Hamas.

The party said on Monday that it would withdraw its support for him after more statements emerged.

The Labor leader said this was a “difficult” but “necessary” decision.

Speaking during a visit to Wellingborough, Sir Keir said: “Additional information emerged yesterday calling for decisive action, so I took decisive action.”

“It is a huge deal to have support withdrawn for a Labor candidate during a by-election.”

He added: “But when I say the Labor Party has changed under my leadership, I mean it.”

Mr Ali will remain listed as Labour's candidate on the ballot paper for the by-election scheduled for 29 February, because under electoral law it is too late to sack him.

However, it is understood he has been suspended from the party pending an investigation.

Over the weekend, Mr Ali apologized for comments he made at a meeting of local party members and councillors. Reported by the Mail on Sunday newspaper.Alleging that Israel “allowed” Hamas attacks as a pretext for invading Gaza.

Labor initially defended him as a candidate, saying he had apologized and retracted his comments.

It was not until Monday evening that the party announced that it would withdraw its support for Ali as its candidate, saying more comments had emerged.

Martin Ford, who led a review into allegations of bullying and racism in Labour, said the handling of the issue was “absolutely shameful” and it was “reasonable” to withdraw support for Mr Ali when his comments first emerged.

The senior lawyer told BBC Radio 4's Today program that there is a perception among some left-leaning MPs “that when it comes to disciplinary action taken against them things move rather slowly, but if you are in the right-wing faction of the party, as is the case… With “was”, then things are dealt with either more leniently or more quickly.

Responding to Ford's comments, Sir Keir said that when he became leader he promised to “tear up anti-Semitism in Labour” and had changed the party “mercilessly” ever since.

He added: “It makes no difference to me if someone is in the Labor Party.”

Sir Keir was defended by former Labor MP Lord Mann, who now works as an independent adviser to the government on anti-Semitism.

“I think it's actually a very bold decision, to get rid of a parliamentary seat,” he told the BBC.

“I think the Jewish community, obviously, will take a great deal of comfort from the fact that Sir Keir Starmer was willing to do this.”

However, the Conservatives accused Sir Keir of acting only because of media pressure.

Housing Minister Lee Rowley previously told the BBC that the situation was “complete chaos”.

He added: “Al-Azhar Ali did not content himself with making some of these statements quietly in front of a few people in the corner.”

“Some of these statements that were made, which had to be retracted by the press, were made at Labor Party meetings.”

Asked whether others who attended the meeting where Ali's alleged comments were recorded would also be investigated, Sir Keir said: “Any allegation that needs to be investigated will be investigated.”

Labour's decision to withdraw support from Mr Ali, who was chosen to represent the seat after the death of Sir Tony Lloyd, means he is also unlikely to be selected by the party to stand in this year's general election.

This will add an extra layer of uncertainty to the results of the February 29 by-election in Rochdale, where Labor has a majority of more than 9,000 votes.

Also running in the election are former Labor MPs Simon Danchuk, now the Reform Party candidate, and George Galloway, of the British Labor Party, who campaigned against Labour's position on Gaza.