No action taken by Labour against MP who linked Palestinian issue to rising UK Islamophobia
The group LAAS submitted a complaint about comments made by Clive Lewis, the MP for Norwich South
No action will be taken by Labour against an MP who wrote in an article that;”The link between the daily inhumanity being meted out to Palestinians and rising Islamophobia in the UK, are not unconnected.”
The claim made by Clive Lewis, the MP for Norwich South was the subject of a complaint from the Labour Against Antisemitism (LAAS) group.
They argued the MP was effectively blaming Jews for the riots that took place across UK towns and cities at the end of July and into the beginning of this month.
In the post on X on 10 August, Lewis replied to an article in The Guardian which reported the number of dead following an Israeli attack on a Gaza shelter and wrote: “The link between the daily inhumanity being meted out to Palestinians and rising Islamophobia in the UK, are not unconnected.
“The inhumanity being shown to one is giving ‘permission’ for the other.”These actions diminish us all.”
But Labour confirm the complaint will not result in action being taken.
In a statement Lewis, who has been an MP since 2015, said: “Combating antisemitism and advocating for Palestinian human rights and addressing broader Islamophobia, are not mutually exclusive goals.
“We have a responsibility as politicians to ensure all minorities feel safe here in the UK and to advocate for the upholding of human rights abroad.”Differences of opinion as how best to do this should, of course, always be encouraged. But attempting to shut down and silence those seeking to highlight these issues is a dangerous path and one that is fundamentally, wrong.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “All complaints are treated seriously and thoroughly assessed in line with our rules and procedures.”
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