Suspended?

22 Feb

Mehmood Mirza with Peter Willsman

Mehmood Mirza (right) with Peter Willsman in September 2018

Alternative ‘news’ site The Skwawkbox is reporting that West Ham CLP membership officer Mehmood Mirza has been suspended from the Labour Party after a compliant about his conduct. Mirza is currently running for a seat on the party’s national executive committee as the BAME representative.

According to The Swawkbox

Mehmood Mirza, who received 75 nominations from local parties, would be unable to publicise the nature of the complaint because of Labour’s confidentiality requirements. However, while the precise nature of the complaint is unknown, a Labour source has told the SKWAWKBOX that parts relate to Mirza applauding a speaker’s comments at a Labour Party meeting and walking around a meeting after members were asked to remain seated.

The SKWAWKBOX also understands that Mirza’s supporters allege that the complaint was lodged by a figure on the left of the party.

Two hours before Mirza received notification from the party, he received a call from the right-wing Telegraph newspaper asking him to comment on the complaint.

The story has indeed reached the Telegraph, although it is less certain about his suspension

Mehmood Mirza, the frontrunner to become the next BAME representative on Labour’s ruling body, was reported for posting an allegedly anti-Semitic cartoon on Facebook.

The member of public who reported Mr Mirza, the vice chair of the West Ham Labour party, has not heard back from the party despite the complaints being initially made in October last year.

The cartoon in question, which Mr Mirza shared on his Facebook page, depicted a sticker with the words “anti-Semitism” being placed across the mouth of a man who has a “free Palestine” band around his head.

The cartoon was created by Carlos Latuff, a Brazillian artist who has previously been accused of creating anti-Semitic content by the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, the human rights organisation.

… Mr Mirza still appears as a candidate on the party’s official website, though The Telegraph understands he may have been suspended.

Whatever the outcome, this will be an embarrassment to those who have endorsed him.

West Ham CLP’s general committee meets on Thursday. If Mirza has been suspended he won’t be able to attend.

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3 Responses to “Suspended?”

  1. Yas February 22, 2020 at 12:05 #

    No freedom of speech when it comes to israel and its inhumane policies towards the Palestinians. Anyone who attempts to criticise Israel, will be shouted down, labelled an anti-semite and possibly out of a job. Why are they so afraid?

    • Alan Griffiths March 4, 2020 at 17:35 #

      The method of electing the Israeli Knesset allows an MK to be elected with a share of the vote that is less than random.

      That’s a criticism of Israel.

  2. Andrew Baikie February 22, 2020 at 13:37 #

    Well ,well how things have moved in two years ? Interesting though that this is particularly an issue now given that reselection time is approaching

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