Take action over candidate in anti-Israel rant, Starmer told

Leader stands by would-be MP who repeated 'antisemitic conspiracy theory'

SIR Keir Starmer came under growing pressure to cut adrift Labour's Rochdale by-election candidate, whom a shadow minister admitted had repeated an "antisemitic conspiracy theory".

Labour was this morning still standing by Azhar Ali as its candidate for the February 29 poll. But the decision has been heavily criticised, especially given the stance Sir, right, has taken against other Labour figures who have made offensive or controversial comments. Mr Ali apologised for his "deeply offensive" remarks after he was recorded telling a meeting of the Lancashire Labour Party that Israel had deliberately allowed the October 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1,200 citizens to happen.

He suggested Israel left the door open for the terror group to carry out its horrific attack to provide grounds to invade Gaza. Shadow Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds tried to defend the decision not to pull Labour campaign support for Mr Ali or to suspend him from the party.