A TOP US talk show host has said the Labour Party blocking candidate Faiza Shaheen from standing is the “dumbest thing the UK has done sine electing Boris Johnson”.
We previously told how Shaheen was set to be Labour’s candidate for the Chingford and Woodford Green seat in north east London.
However, speaking to Newsnight on Wednesday, she said she had been blocked from standing over a series of tweets she had previously liked.
Shaheen appeared on the BBC show around an hour after hearing the news she wouldn’t be standing
The programme heard one such post that Labour took issue with read: “Every time you say something even mildly critical of Israel, you’re immediately assailed by scores of hysterical people who explain to you why you’re completely wrong, how you’re biased against Israel.
“Moreover, you can’t easily ignore them because these are not just random people. They tend to be friends or people who move in the same circles as you. Those people are mobilised by professional organisations.”
This is the dumbest thing The UK has done since electing Boris Johnson…what the actual fuck… https://t.co/n6Ekibi5is
— Jon Stewart (@jonstewart) May 30, 2024
Shaheen said she could not even remember liking the post in question but admitted it “plays into a trope and I absolutely don’t agree with that and I’m sorry about that”.
On Twitter/X, journalist Mehdi Hasan shared the original tweet with US TV presenter Jon Stewart, known for hosting The Daily Show.
Along with the tweet was a sketch on Stewart’s show satirising somebody trying to have a debate about Israel.
Hasan explained that the tweet featuring his video was one of the posts which Labour appeared to have taken issue with in relation to Shaheen trying to stand.
Stewart then replied and said: “This is the dumbest thing the UK has done since electing Boris Johnson… what the actual f***?”
Shaheen herself issued a statement on social media which said: “At 9pm last night, by email, I learned that Labour has removed me as its candidate for Chingford & Woodford Green, less than six weeks before the General Election after working to win the seat for over four years.
“I want to thank everyone that has been in touch lending their support. I feel that a huge injustice has been done, not just to me, but to our community.
“As you can imagine, I’m a little overwhelmed right now, so will use this morning to meet with my campaign and legal teams to discuss my next steps, as well as have some hugs with my baby.
“This is not the end of my story and I will be releasing all detail of what has happened to me publicly very soon.”
