Wes Streeting commends NUS sacking of ex-president who made ‘reprehensible comments’
The Labour shadow minister dismisses Shaima Dallali's claims she is a victim of racism after being sacked, saying ahead of 'independent KC-led inquiry' her antisemitic comments were 'publicly known'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Labour’s Wes Streeting has commended the leadership of the National Union of Students over the sacking of its ex- president, accusing Shaima Dallali of making “publicly known comments that were pretty reprehensible.”
Streeting, a former president of the NUS himself, also dismissed claims made by Dallali last that she was herself a victim of sexism and racism.
He said:”I think it’s important to acknowledge that this was a case an independent KC led inquiry…
“And I think some of her publicly known comments were already pretty reprehensible.
“I don’t think she showed adequate remorse or contrition.”
The shadow health secretary and Ilford North MP was interviewed about last week’s dismissal of Dallali by Sky News.
He said:”I do want to commend the NUS leadership however, for gripping the situation and acting in a both a fair way, but also a robust way, because students need to have confidence that they’re being well represented.”
Streeting said the government had been “right” to withdraw from engagement with the NUS earlier this year, in the wake of mounting allegations about antisemitism, stretching back several years.
“I think it was the right thing to do,” he said of the government’s decision to break relations.
“It is pretty depressing for me as a former president of an organisation which I think has an important role to play representing students, making sure their voices are heard by university leaders, by political parties, by government.
“It’s a shame it’s got to this point.”
Streeting said there would be “lots of viewers who will say ‘we don’t care about student politics, this is all trivial, why are we talking about it?'”
But he added: “I think student politics at its best can play a really good constructive role.”
He added: “I would say to student union leaders, look this is your union. You have a responsibility to step up and take control.
“Because if I had gone rogue when I was president of NUS, I would have been held to account by student unions. I think there is a collective responsibility on their party to step up and get a grip of their union.
“Because ultimately, I can tell you that in terms of Westminster and Parliament, NUS has become an irrelevance.
“And yet students are having a really hard time, whether it’s financial hardship, the impact of a cost of living crisis on students, and the student experience that has been severely disrupted during and since the pandemic.
“I think students deserve a strong national voice and I think NUS can be that national voice.”
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