A Labour member who shared a Facebook post suggesting Saudi Arabia’s leaders were “inspired by their Zionist masters” is to be the party’s candidate in the Poplar and Limehouse constituency.
Apsana Begum, who is a senior figure in the pro-Jeremy Corbyn Momentum campaign group, had been reported to Labour over a number of social media posts, but it is understood she faced no sanctions after an investigation.
Instead, she was backed by senior Labour figures in her attempt to get selected as the PPC (Prospective Parliamentary Candidate) for the safe Labour seat of Poplar and Limehouse.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell endorsed her, calling her a “dedicated socialist... who has worked with integrity and diligence to build a grassroots Labour movement".
The JC reported a local party source saying that the seat “was all tied up for Apsana”.
Ms Begum was declared the Labour candidate on Sunday. On Twitter, she said she was “truly humbled and excited to have been selected”, adding that “we ran a clean, positive and people powered campaign.”
But a number of Labour members present alleged widespread intimidation at the selection meeting, which led to police being called to the venue.
“Absolute carnage at the Poplar and Limehouse PPC hustings today”, one female Labour member tweeted.
“Intimidation outside the venue, especially for women. Awful rabble beforehand and hostile atmosphere during.”
Another female Labour member at the event described the atmosphere as “dangerous…people are leaving because the crowd was so hostile and dangerous.”
A third said she had “never, in all my born years, seen such a chaotic, intimidating and shambolic process.”
One member of the local party told the Evening Standard that “it was a very intimidating environment for any women or people with disabilities. The majority was men. I saw people telling others who to vote for.
“A skirmish almost broke out when a man tried to take his wife’s ballot and fill it out but she opposed.”
As reported by the Red Roar blog, Ms Begum’s defence for sharing the "Zionist masters" post was that she “didn’t make those comments…I shared the article because I was concerned with the treatment of pilgrims who were being harassed in the Mecca Grand Mosque.
“The original poster used words that were inappropriate, and I wouldn’t use them myself. I’m committed to fighting antisemitism both inside the Labour Party and in wider society.”
