ByMarcus Dysch, Marcus Dysch
A Muslim organisation which campaigned against candidates who support Israel has claimed it is responsible for Andrew Dismore losing his Hendon seat.
Mr Dismore was narrowly defeated by Conservative candidate Matthew Offord, losing the constituency by just 106 votes following a recount.
On its website, the Muslim Public Affairs Committee (MPAC) claimed it had “defeated the top ranking Zionist MP Dismore!”.
The MPAC statement claimed: “Alhamdulillah, our efforts in Hendon were granted success as Andrew Dismore – a leading member of Labour Friends of Israel – was defeated by just 106 votes!
“Dismore (who backed the Iraq war and has a long record of Islamophobia) has MPAC and the Muslims of Hendon to thank for his early retirement. We're waiting for his card and flowers...
“We were planning Andrew Dismore’s downfall for a long time and the General Election was our chance to give Dismore both barrels. He didn’t like it one bit.”
The organisation said Mr Dismore had “squealed to his friends in the Jewish Chronicle” in the hope readers would sympathise with him.
During the campaign MPAC claimed to have distributed 2,000 leaflets outside Hendon mosque attacking Mr Dismore’s record of supporting Jewish constituents’ interests and backing Israeli concerns.
Its statement concluded: “Right now we’re savouring the victory of another enemy defeated but we won't rest until every single warmongering Zionist is booted out of power.”
Mr Dismore, and new MP Mr Offord, were both unavailable for comment.
In the run up to polling day, Mr Dismore, who had held the seat since 1997, said MPAC supporters from outside Hendon had attempted to “foment trouble”. He denied all their allegations.
All the results from the key constituencies on our Election 2010 page