Pro-palestine activist will stand as MP against Streeting
A PRO-PALESTINIAN activist has been selected to challenge Wes Streeting at the next election, as anger over Labour’s stance on the Israel-gaza conflict grows.
Leanne Mohamad was chosen yesterday as an independent parliamentary candidate in Ilford North following a hustings event open to local residents.
Ms Mohamad’s candidacy will complicate the shadow health secretary’s chances of being elected, after Labour faced a fierce backlash against its response to the war in Gaza.
Redbridge Community Action Group, which organised Ms Mohamad’s selection, said on its website that it aims to “challenge Wes Streeting’s Ilford North seat and beat him at the next election”. The group says it will also “prepare an independent candidate who is strong on Palestine, NHS, racism, Islamophobia and the cost of living crisis”.
The shift in electoral dynamics as a result of Labour’s stance on the Israel-gaza conflict is expected to be seen in other constituencies.
One Labour MP predicted some of their fellow MPS could lose their seats due to pro-palestine candidates drawing votes away from Labour. The MP added that Mr Streeting will now “have a genuine battle on his hands” after Ms Mohamad’s selection.
Ms Mohamad is a British-palestinian activist who last October addressed one of the Palestinian solidarity marches in central London. She told the crowds: “Every supporter of Israel has blood on their hands, every Western politician who greenlighted these war crimes has the blood of over 3,000 Palestinian children on their hands.”
She also spoke at the first international conference of the Peace and Justice Project, founded by Jeremy Corbyn, which took place last November.
She has also shared photographs of her with the former Labour leader at Palestine demonstrations in 2021.
Ilford North is located in the London Borough of Redbridge, which has a Muslim population of 31.3 per cent, according to the 2021 census. A variety of polls held since Israel invaded Gaza have picked up a drop in support for Labour among the Muslim community.