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Sir Keir Starmer has insisted he took “decisive action” over comments made by Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali about Israel and Jewish people.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Labour has been criticised for initially standing by Mr Ali after it emerged he claimed Israel had “allowed” the 7 October attacks by Hamas.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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On Monday the party said it was withdrawing support for him after further remarks came to light.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Labour leader said this was a “tough” but “necessary” decision.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Speaking on a visit to Wellingborough, Sir Keir said: “Further information came to light yesterday calling for decisive action, so I took decisive action.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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“It is a huge thing to withdraw support for a Labour candidate during the course of a by-election.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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He added: “But when I say the Labour Party has changed under my leadership I mean it.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n- All the candidates in the Rochdale by-election<\/li>\n
- Why will Azhar Ali appear on by-election ballot?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Ali will still be listed as the Labour candidate on the ballot paper at the by-election on 29 February, as under electoral law it is too late to remove him. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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However, it is understood he has been suspended from the party pending an investigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Mr Ali apologised for comments he made at a meeting of local party members and councillors, which were reported by the Mail on Sunday, claiming Israel had “allowed” the Hamas attacks as a pretext to invade Gaza. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Labour initially defended him as a candidate, saying he had apologised and retracted his remarks. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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It was not until Monday evening that the party announced it was withdrawing its support for Mr Ali as its candidate, saying further comments had emerged. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Daily Mail published a fuller recording from the meeting, allegedly of Mr Ali, blaming “people in the media from certain Jewish quarters” for the suspension of Andy McDonald from Labour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n