Oh dear. It seems that the all-conquering Labour by-election machine might have come unstuck in the treacherous terrains of Rochdale. Following the death of veteran MP Tony Lloyd on 17 January, the party quickly moved the writ to elect his replacement to the House of Commons. The ensuing by-election is due to be held on 29 February, with Labour plumping for a six-week campaign for fear that a longer contest would benefit an outside challenger. Almost a third of the Rochdale electorate is comprised of Muslim voters; many of them are angry at Keir Starmer’s stance over Gaza.
But in their undue haste to replace Tony Lloyd, it seems that Labour have blundered badly. For the candidate they chose to replace Lloyd – a man respected on both sides of the House – is none other than Azhar Ali. The Mail on Sunday has today revealed that Ali claimed that Israel deliberately allowed the 7 October massacre to give it the ‘green light’ to invade Gaza.
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