In May, the Labour Party barred Faiza Shaheen from standing as a candidate in the upcoming general election. Her crime? Retweeting a globally famous Jewish satirist:
BREAKING| Former Labour candidate Faiza Shaheen has been suspended from the Labour Party for liking a video by American Jewish comedian, Jon Stewart, which criticizes Israel's apologists. British media described the video as "downplaying antisemitism accusations." pic.twitter.com/MjRvZ5DLjV
— Quds News Network (@QudsNen) May 30, 2024
Not to be beaten, Shaheen opted to stand as an independent in the seat of Chingford & Woodford Green. Given that the seat is the home of former Tory leader and societal haemorrhoid Iain Duncan Smith, it’s a key target for the Labour Party. It’s Shaheen, however, who is resonating with local people:
These are *real* conversations on the doorstep with 4,089 voters in Chingford and Woodford Green. Not numbers extrapolated from a national poll or old data before the independent campaign begun.
It is Labour that is splitting the vote here. Myself and dedicated volunteers have…
— Faiza Shaheen (@faizashaheen) June 21, 2024
Popular support
After being blocked from standing, Faiza Shaheen quit the Labour Party so she could stand as an independent:
I’ve resigned from the Labour Party. pic.twitter.com/v80TNPm5IH
— Faiza Shaheen (@faizashaheen) June 4, 2024
By standing for something other than the worst that humanity has to offer, Shaheen has been able to attract support from her fellow human beings. Among them is snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan:
I’ll be at Woodford Rugby Club tomorrow, come along! pic.twitter.com/09PnRgls1K
— Ronnie O'Sullivan (@ronnieo147) June 22, 2024
O’Sullivan spoke alongside Shaheen at the event which took place on Sunday 23 June:
Hi @UKLabour, @faizashaheen seems to have @ronnieo147 and @jonstewart on her side and all you have in Chingford & Woodford is a parachute with a big hole in it and a bit of paid help working against the will of the people. Good luck! pic.twitter.com/m1RHqVhhnw
— Adam Scott (@adamscott_photo) June 23, 2024
Turnout was strong:
At a packed pre-canvassing rally for Chingford Independent candidate Faiza Shaheen.
Vote @faizashaheen in Chingford & Woodford Green
Vote @NancyTaaffe in Walthamstow
Vote @shanell4change in Leyton & Wanstead pic.twitter.com/hEs33RwBEe— ellen (@scatartist) June 23, 2024
As Shaheen herself posted:
We’re not the sort of people to just do what we’re told. We won’t blindly accept the political status quo. We’re going to demand more.
I can’t believe I went out canvassing with the legend Ronnie O’Sullivan! What a day.
As we head into the final 10 days of the campaign, I’ve been reflecting on three things I’ve learnt about this community over the past two weeks.
1. We care about fair play. We’re not just… pic.twitter.com/6nwKlzatJD
— Faiza Shaheen (@faizashaheen) June 23, 2024
Who stands for Labour shows what Labour stands for
In addition to be a prominent left-wing voice, Faiza Shaheen is an “economist, writer, and commentator” according to the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). The LSE further adds:
She is the author of a range of materials and publications covering the most salient social and economic debates of our times, including inequality, austerity, immigration, youth unemployment and social mobility. Faiza has over 15 years of experience researching the trends and consequences of inequality, as well as designing policies and campaigns to address the causes of inequality and exclusion.
It’s not surprising that Labour would want to get rid of Shaheen given that its political programme is already being exposed as austerity masquerading as ‘change’. It’s also not surprising that shifty Sir Keir of Nowhere glowingly endorsed her in the past, as Starmer doesn’t so much hold opinions as temporarily store them in the empty vessel of his mind:
NEW: Jeremy Corbyn isn't the only candidate who Starmer changed his mind about between 2019 and 2024.
Here's how he described @faizashaheen before the last general election. pic.twitter.com/kurE7W8T5N
— Michael Walker (@michaeljswalker) June 21, 2024
Describing herself and what she can offer the local constituency, Shaheen writes:
I know your problems because I have experienced them myself, whether it’s the morning traffic deadlock on Chingford Mount or Woodford High Road, worrying about funding for your local school, not being able to find adequate mental health or social care support for a relative, struggling to find money to put in your pre-payment electricity meter, or worrying about how you’re going to keep your business afloat. It is because of this that I’m running – I know that my experience, skills and commitment can make a difference.
Without a new generation of political leaders that understand the importance of public services, that fight for decent opportunities for all children regardless of their family background and who understand the change needed to halt the climate crisis, we are not going to be able to turn this country around and give the next generation the future they deserve.
Compare Shaheen to Luke Akehurst, who Labour has parachuted into what they hope is a safe seat in the north:
Labour parachute 'extremist' Israel lobbyist Luke Akehurst into safe seat: Labour have come under fire after parachuting a member of its national executive who has claimed the United Nations is antisemitic into a safe seat in the north of England. https://t.co/89X7waNEwB
— Andrew Feinstein (@andrewfeinstein) May 30, 2024
This is what's running 'Labour' – and running Starmer.
Hours after Israel targets and attacks a convoy of aid vehicles, murdering seven people, genocide-glorifier Akehurst thinks it's *good* to keep selling Israel the arms to kill more innocent people with… pic.twitter.com/TefgllRtkJ— The Prole Star (@TheProleStar) April 2, 2024
The self-described “Zionist shitlord” has drawn significant criticism for his stance of supporting Israel’s alleged genocide in Gaza (‘alleged’ in the legal sense – not in the sense that we disagree with the accusation):
Who is Luke Akehurst – Labour’s self proclaimed ‘Zionist shitlord’? @StevenJMethven explains. pic.twitter.com/PJ0dyUrWvd
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) June 6, 2024
Labour has parachuted pro-Israel lobbyist and right-wing figure Luke Akehurst into a safe seat in North Durham. The seat is 250 miles away from his home in Oxford
However, many of his tweets have now been deleted. And there is a reason for that
https://t.co/w0Dlqm2VDc— Socialist Voice (@SocialistVoice) June 1, 2024
Akehurst’s ardent support of Israel includes criticism of Jewish people who don’t align with his opinions:
As a Jewish @UKLabour Member I've just submitted a complaint about Luke Akehurst's remarks here to the Party
Considering Keir Starmer has promised me that "under his leadership he takes a Zero Tolerance approach to Antisemitism" I expect a prompt response pic.twitter.com/GlTvkw8L8U
— Cllr Martin Abrams 🕊️🍉 (@Martin_Abrams) June 6, 2024
Akehurst is not Jewish himself.
Faiza Shaheen: Change (Actually)
Starmer’s manifesto has taken the Labour right’s ethos to its logical conclusion: a joyless figure standing beside a hollow slogan on the cover of a document that’s filled with empty promises:
It’s no wonder there’s no place for a politician like Faiza Shaheen in this version of the Labour Party, but that doesn’t mean there’s no place for her in parliament.
Let’s hope both the Tories and Labour lose Chingford and Woodford Green in the upcoming election. Or, to put it in snooker terms, let’s hope a chipped ball hits them in the pocket. The Canary fully backs Faiza Shaheen.
Featured image via Guardian / GBNews / Faiza Shaheen
