Labour drops candidate support over anti-Israel posts

Abdur Razaq was running for Labour in the Preston with Preston Grange ward of North Tyneside

Labour has suspended a local election candidate and withdrawn its support due to anti-Israel posts he apparently shared on social media, it is understood.

Abdur Razaq had been running for the party in the Preston with Preston Grange ward on North Tyneside Council.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service understands Labour took action after Facebook posts shared last year came to light.

Mr Razaq has been approached for comment by the BBC.

North Tyneside Labour did not comment.

The posts appeared following the 7 October attacks in Israel, which triggered the war on Hamas in Gaza.

It is claimed one post on 20 October called Israel a “terrorist nation”, while another shared in December compared photos of Gaza in 2023 and Nazi Germany in 1943.

A Labour spokesperson said: “Thanks to Keir Starmer’s leadership, the party has ripped out antisemitism at its roots. We will continue to fight antisemitism and all forms of hate speech every day of the week, it has no place in the Labour Party.”

The party said it cannot comment on individual cases as disciplinary proceedings are independent and confidential.

A spokesperson for North Tyneside Conservatives said: “Local Labour must now explain why candidates were not vetted properly before being put to voters. There should be a full review into how they can root out discrimination and antisemitism in all of its forms."

Green candidate Nick Fitzsimons said: "To be transparent; I don't know Mr Razaq and I haven't seen the posts in question, but if the reports are accurate, this is clearly completely unacceptable behaviour."

Independent candidate Cath Davis said: "I'm standing as an Independent now as it means I can directly serve my residents instead of the party politics that is constantly being played out in [the] council."

Mr Razaq - listed as Raz Razaq - will still be listed as a Labour candidate on the ballot paper for the local elections on 2 May, as under electoral law it is too late for the party to replace him.

North Tyneside Council was unable to comment.