In a recent local election, two independent candidates with pro-Gaza stances won seats previously held by the Labour Party in a small town north of Manchester.
Maheen Kamran, 18, secured the Burnley Central East seat on the Lancashire County Council, while Azhar Ali was elected as county councillor for the Nelson East ward. Their wins are seen as potentially part of a larger trend of pro-Gaza candidates succeeding, similar to victories by figures like former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn in the past year.
Ali, a former Labour member, had been suspended from the party due to antisemitism allegations made during a previous election. He initially defended his claim that Israel “allowed” the Oct. 7 Hamas attack as a justification for invading Gaza but later apologized, calling his statement “deeply offensive, ignorant and false.” Labour subsequently withdrew its support and suspended him.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews rejected Ali’s apology, deeming his comments “disgraceful and unforgivable.”
The organization stated that Ali’s apology appeared insincere and expressed doubt about engaging with him, anticipating similar sentiments from other Jewish groups.
Kamran has also faced scrutiny for her views, including her support for gender segregation in public spaces for Muslims.
Kamran stated in an interview that some Muslim women “aren’t really comfortable with being involved with Muslim men” and suggested creating segregated areas, such as gyms, to accommodate them.
In the same interview, Kamran cited the situation in Gaza as her motivation for entering politics, referring to it as a “genocide.” While critics use the term “genocide” to describe Israel’s actions, supporters of Israel argue that the country’s restraint in not using its full capacity to harm Gaza’s population contradicts the genocide claim.
Ali and Kamran’s victories occurred amid a decline in influence for mainstream parties in local elections. The Reform UK Party gained ground, while Labour, despite controlling 10 Downing Street, experienced losses.