Starmer facing resignations over Bangladesh comments & Akehurst

  • Post last modified:July 1, 2024
  • Reading time:6 mins read


Keir Starmer’s Labour Party is facing more resignations days before the general election. They’re over his racist dogwhistle aimed at Bangladeshi people during an interview with the Sun. However, there’s also a second wave of problems – this time, from disgruntled councillors in Durham where the party has parachuted “Zionist shitlord” Luke Akehurst in.

Starmer abandoning any pretence

As the Canary’s James Wright previously reported, speaking at a Sun general election event, Starmer stepped up his anti-immigrant rhetoric – this time, with a racist dogwhistle about people from Bangladesh:

I’ll make sure we got planes going off… back to the countries where people came from. At the moment people coming from Bangladesh are not being removed.

Labour’s shadow minister Jonathan Ashworth also targeted Bangladeshi people. He said:

When they come from countries like Bangladesh or wherever, we’re going to send them back.

At the time, the Labour PR machine swung into action and claimed that Starmer’s comments were being manipulated as “misinformation”. As PoliticsHome reported, a Labour spokesperson said:

This clip has been edited to make it look as though Keir Starmer is suggesting repatriation of British Bangladeshis. It is misinformation.

They claimed that Starmer and Ashworth were using Bangladesh as an “example” because the UK already has a return agreement with the country. This didn’t wash with many people, though – and as the Canary previously wrote:

No-one is saying that Starmer is suggesting some Windrush-style mass deportation of British Bangladeshis – although for this Nigel Farage wannabe anything is possible.

What people are asking is why is the party singling that community out?

In answer to the last question, it might have something to do with electioneering via racist dogwhistling in places like Luton and Birmingham – target seats for Labour to protect.

A diplomatic incident AND more resignations

There was also the “small” matter of a diplomatic incident thanks to Starmer. But of course, Labour can be trusted with the country’s security and international relations:

As ITV journalist Shebab Khan also highlighted in that thread, Bangladesh doesn’t even feature in the top 20 places of origin for people coming to the UK in small boats. Moreover, there are no outstanding immigration cases.

All this sparked the deputy leader of the Labour Group on Tower Hamlets Council, Sabina Akhtar, to resign from the party – delivering a final salvo in the process:

it is clear the direction… [the Labour Party] heading is unacceptable to me and to my community

Now, another councillor has resigned. Walsall politician Shakila Hussain – chair of her local Labour group and the council’s first and only Bangladeshi  councillor – has left the party. She said:

I cannot in good conscience associate myself with a party who so readily scapegoat an entire nationality to pander to voters.

We won’t bow down to the Zionist shitlord

We’re sure Starmer and his racist endeavour party are not that concerned, though – as what’s a bit of integrity when it comes to mopping up right-wing, racist votes? Clearly not a lot in Durham either – where more councillors have been quitting too.

As campaign group Stop Akehurst posted on X, two Durham councillors have quit. Angela Hanson and Sam McMahon have both left and will now sit as independents. Their reasoning was similar: the party parachuted Akehurst in, and he’s a shit:

Again, though, we’re sure Starmer isn’t bothered. Him and his ilk have purged the left from the party, are now on course for a huge majority in parliament, and are welcoming racists and far-right miscreants into their wings. That makes it all the more important that people vote for actual left-wing and independent candidates on 4 July.

Featured image via the Canary





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