Labour block ‘Chingford Corbynista’ over ‘divisive’ Gaza election campaign
Faiza Shaheen repeatedly sought to claim she was the pro-Palestine candidate, while her Tory challenger Iain Duncan Smith represented Israel as she campaigned in the North London seat
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Labour have blocked Chingford and Woodford Green election candidate Faiza Shaheen from standing after concerns were raised that she was seeking to “inflame community tensions” over Gaza.
Following concerns raised by the Jewish Labour Movement, Labour’s ruling national executive committee has not endorsed Shaheem as a candidate, meaning she cannot stand in the north east London seat for Labour.
Labour sources confirmed to Jewish News that officials close to Keir Starmer had also been made aware of other posts she liked or shared which variously expressed support for the Green Party.
Shaheem, nicknamed the ‘Chingford Crbynista’ also claimed Labour was “institutionally Islamophobic” and accused Israel of genocide. Both Jewish News and The Sun had earlier reported that the Jewish Labour Movement had confirmed that local members had raised complaints about Shaheem’s social media posts, including one which showed “her pride” in being pictured with Jeremy Corbyn, “who did so much harm to the party’s relationship with the Jewish community.” In a tearful interview on BBC Newsnight on Wednesday, Shaheen claimed she could not remember liking a post on X/Twitter alleging that anybody who is mildly critical of Israel is “assailed” by “professional organisations” who “every time” inflict “non-stop harassment” and “accuse you of antisemitism”. The post added that “you can’t easily ignore” the Israel lobby because they “tend to be your friends or people who move in the same circles as you”. She said she had received an email informing her of the NEC’s decision which had left her “in a state of shock.” Jewish News has contacted Shaheem for comment. But Jewish News was alerted to further posts by Shaheen on X, which included a claim that a vote for Shaheem was a vote for Palestine, while ex-Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the party’s candidate in the seat, was a vote for Israel. One Labour source earlier even suggested Shaheem appeared to be “going out of her way to get herself suspended” earlier this week to Jewish News, so frequent were the campaign messages relating to Israel and Gaza. “If Fazia wished to stand as an independent candidate, rather than under Labour Party values under the leadership of Keir Starmer, them she should have said so before applying to stand,” added the source. Adam Langleben, executive director of the Progressive Britain organisation also posted on X: “I don’t know the story on Faiza Shaheen. But I know this. I spent half of my childhood in that neck of the woods at a Jewish High School. “My closest friends all grew up there. Large Jewish and Muslim communities in Redbridge where by and large they got on well. “Since Oct 7 things have changed. Both Jewish and Muslim communities feel vulnerable. It requires leaders to play their part and important role in lowering tensions, not inflaming them, especially in areas like this. Some of the tweets I’ve seen don’t seem to be doing that…” https://x.com/adamlangleben/status/1795897645967233305 The Chingford seat has a Jewish community of around 1500 people but several local Labour members are believed to contacted JLM over fears that Shaheem was attempting such anger of Israel was the “number one” issue for voters on the ground. There are currently known to be six candidates standing in Chingford and Woodford Green: Chris Brody for the Green Party, Josh Hadley for the Liberal Democrats, Yousaff Khan for the Workers Party of Britain, Paul Luggeri of Reform UK, Shaheen and Iain Duncan Smith of the Conservative Party. In a now deleted May 22 post on X/Twitter, Shaheen, who stood in the seat as a pro-Jeremy Corbyn candidate in 2019, declared she had been “active on Palestine for 20 years and will be so if I make it into gov.” Shaheem added:”I’m doing the best thing I can do to support, otherwise there will be another MP who will say nothing ot worse…” In another May 22 post Shaheen wrote “if you live in the area” it’s either a choice between herself or “IDS who speaks at pro-Israel rallies.” Last November, Shaheen had used her Instagram account to post a photograph of a pro-Palestine sit-in staged at Liverpool Street train station. When challenged by Jewish News over the post, she claimed she was merely showing the event was happening when on her way home from work, rather than declaring support.” Meanwhile, it another unexpected move, left-wing MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle was also suspended pending an allegation he said dated back eight years, and was untrue. The Brighton, Kemptown and Peacehaven MP had repeatedly apologised for previous incidents including a claim in 2020 that Jewish claims to Israel were “not progressive in [their] very nature.” On Wednesday night the party also confirmed a series of the new candidates for seats, including Luke Akehurst, secretary of campaign group Labour First and a key Starmer ally on the party’s governing National Executive Committee, who will stand in North Durham, replacing Kevan Jones. Meanwhile in the new Queens Park and Maida Vale seat Georgia Gould, the leader of Camden Council, and a Jewish Labour Movement member has been confirmed as the candidate. 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