Leading communal figures defend record of ‘pro-Palestine’ justice secretary

One of the community’s leading experts on antisemitism has defended the record of the new justice secretary Shabana Mahmood after she was criticised over her involvement in a 2014 protest against the sale of West Bank settlement goods.

Mahmood was appointed as Lord Chancellor and secretary of state for justice by Labour’s new prime minister, Keir Starmer.

The announcement prompted the recycling of evidence that Mahmood, a barrister educated at Oxford University, had taken part in a protest a decade ago that forced the branch of Sainsbury’s in Birmingham to close for several hours. She was also photographed carrying a Free Palestine placard said at the time of her involvement.

Mahmood said: “I was with 200 activists outside Sainsbury’s in the centre of Birmingham.

“We lay down in the street and we laid down inside Sainsbury’s to say we object to them stocking goods from illegal settlements – and that they must stop. We managed to close down that store at peak time on a Saturday. This is how we can make a difference.”

As the MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010, her involvement in the protest was condemned by the Jewish Leadership Council, and the then Finchley and Golders Green parliamentarian Mike Freer at the time.

Her appointment into Starmer’s cabinet prompted renewed criticism on grassroots community social media groups last weekend.

But Danny Stone, director of the Antisemitism Policy Trust, intervened to counter criticism posted on X that Mahmood “has been kind, thoughtful, and supportive in all of my dealings with her, including on serious issues of conspiratorial antisemitism. She has been relentlessly abused and deserves some kindness”.

Stone added that she has “taken direct action against antisemitism”.

After she was re-elected as an MP last Thursday, Mahmood launched an outspoken attack on the intimidation she faced, mainly from those claiming to represent an independent pro-Palestine candidate standing against her.

She said at the count: “British politics must wake up to what happened at this election” and added “masked men” had disrupted a community meeting “terrifying those present.”

The chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, Mike Katz, also criticised the resurfacing of Mahmood’s decade old involvement with settlement boycott protests.Katz added the new cabinet minister “understands antisemitism and has taken action against it.”

He continued:” She’s shown enormous strength and resilience in the face of serious and personal attacks since October 7 simply because she is a senior Muslim Labour woman.”

Days after the October 7 Hamas terror attack Mahmood also wrote to her constituents.

She said: “I unequivocally condemn the despicable actions of Hamas, who targeted innocent Israeli civilians. The hostages must be returned.“These atrocities were committed by terrorists who do not seek peace and have set back the just cause of Palestinian freedom and statehood, which I have supported my whole life.”

In September 2015, following Jeremy Corbyn’s election as Labour leader, Mahmood stepped down from the role, saying she “strongly disagreed” with him.

One year later she was offered a place in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet, but declined, telling him: “I’ll be miserable, and I’ll make you miserable as well.”

Previously, as Starmer’s shadow justice secretary, she worked closely with the Labour leader on tackling antisemitism in the party, and countering Islamophobia.

One communal figure, who asked to remain anonymous, added: “I’ve worked with Shabana on community issues in the past.

“She has done more to tackle antisemitism than most the keyboard warriors now attacking her have done in their lives.”