We have today on Friday 17 April written to the Green Party again to take action and remove their candidate in Streatham St Leonards for her racist and antisemitic views. Letter below.
Dear Zack Polanski and Scott Ainslie (leader of the Lambeth Green Party),
Re: Antisemitic racist social media posts by Lambeth Green Party candidate
I note that there has been no response to my letter to you on behalf of Lambeth Labour regarding the antisemitic posts of Saiqa Ali who is standing for the Lambeth Green Party in the upcoming elections. The only action you appear to have taken is to instruct the candidate to set her social media to private. But the posts are out there in the public domain. Damage and hurt is done. Residents are worried and anxious.
The posts shared by Saiqa Ali are antisemitic and deeply concerning. They repeat harmful tropes about Jewish people, spread misinformation about 9/11, make deeply offensive comments about the Holocaust, say that Donald Trump is “run by Jews”, suggest our government is “over-represented with Zionist Jews” and that the Prime Minister is a “Jewish Zionist”. These attacks, such racism, have no place in our diverse communities here in Lambeth.
What is equally troubling is the Green Party’s response. You have taken no action. This leaves our communities justifiably thinking you either condone her views or don’t care enough to do anything about it save protect her and yourselves from further public scrutiny.
You have demonstrated an immensely troubling and woeful lack of leadership both nationally and here in Lambeth. There is anxiety and fear in our communities that yet again, with antisemitism on the rise, people will remain silent, as you are doing, that as political leaders you will not speak out or take action because you are prioritising your party politics and interests over doing the right thing.
Saiqa Ali’s views are irreconcilable with being a councillor and representing our diverse communities in Lambeth. Please confirm that you are removing her as a candidate.
Claire Holland
Leader of Lambeth Labour Group