Faiza Shaheen with Jeremy Corbyn, former Labor leader, in 2019 Photo: Tolga Akmen/Getty Images
The Labor left candidate, who was banned by the party from standing in the general election, has suggested she could stand as an independent.
Faiza Shaheen, economist and academic, was selected as the Labor Party's candidate for the constituency of Chingford and Woodford Green in north-east London.
On Wednesday evening she learned that the party would not support her. She allegedly liked a series of social media posts that downplayed allegations of antisemitism.
Amid a separate controversy, questions arise over whether Diane Abbott, the former shadow home secretary, will stand again as Labour's candidate. parties. .
Writing on X (formerly Twitter), Ms Shaheen said: “I feel a huge injustice has been done not only to me, but to our community. As you can imagine, I'm a little overwhelmed right now, so I'll take this morning to meet with my campaign and legal team, and give my baby a little hug.”
Ms. Shaheen said she did. thought she could remain Labor's candidate in the constituency, but received an email on Wednesday evening confirming otherwise. She claimed the email told her she would “frustrate the Labor Party's purpose.”
“Honestly, I am so shocked at how poorly I have been treated right now.”
Faiza Shaheen, who was planning to run for the Labor Party, describes how she heard that her candidacy had been rejected, she liked a series of tweets she claims Labor said would derail their campaign #Newsnight pic.twitter.com/JtMIywDz2N
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) May 29, 2024
She told BBC Newsnight she was in “a state of shock”, adding: “So many people have helped me.
“My phone is ringing off the hook with locals trying to organize a rally and I just want to thank my old ones school teachers and children who came tonight and I'm so sorry. I am truly sorry that it has come to this. I know you really wanted me to become your deputy, and I really wanted this too.”
She insisted she didn't remember liking one of the social media posts she was called out on by the Labor Party, which claimed anyone who criticized Israel was “attacked” by “professional bodies” who “every time” being subjected to “continuous harassment” and “accusing you of anti-Semitism”.
Responding to the decision to ban Ms Shaheen from standing, Ms Abbott, who claims she is barred from standing as a Labor Party candidate, said : “Terrible. Whose smart idea was it to weed out the left?
Ms. Shaheen replied: “Thank you so much for your support, you are my hero x.”
'I don't remember liking this tweet'
Victoria Derbyshire asks Faiza Shaheen, who was voted out of the Labor Party nomination, about what she liked the tweet talking about the “Israel lobby”#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/xoCuKDaIJM
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) May 29, 2024
The Labor Muslim Network was among left-wing groups to criticize the decision, saying: “The deselection of Faiza Shaheen is unacceptable. To use her tweets detailing personal experiences of Islamophobia as evidence of deselection is utterly outrageous.”
A spokesman for Momentum, a left-wing pressure group, accused the Labor Party of “institutional racism”, adding: “This is a purge . Left-wing women of color such as Diane Abbott and Faiza Shaheen are being subjected to overturning elections by Team Starmer against the wishes of their local parties.
“It is outrageous that Faiza's discussion of her own experiences of Islamophobia in the Labor Party, as a Muslim, was used as a weapon against her in a textbook case of institutional racism.”
Labour insists no final decision has been made on whether whether Ms Abbott will be allowed to stand for the party in Hackney North and Stoke Newington, which she has represented since becoming the first black female MP in 1987.
Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labor Party, on Thursday denied he was blocking left-wing candidates, telling Sky News: “No. Over the past two years, as we have been selecting our candidates, I have said repeatedly that I want the highest quality candidates. This position has existed for a very long time.”
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