In a surprising turn of events, Britain's opposition Labour Party has reversed its decision to support Azhar Ali as a candidate for the upcoming House of Commons election in Rochdale. This decision comes after further comments made by Ali deriding Israel and Jews were brought to light.

Initially, the Labour Party had defended Ali's candidacy in the face of criticism following the publication of his remarks, in which he claimed that Israel had allowed an attack by Hamas as a pretext to invade Gaza. While Ali issued an apology, senior Labour figures condemned his comments as "totally unacceptable." However, the party did not immediately suspend him.

Under mounting pressure, the Labour Party announced on Monday that it was withdrawing its support for Ali, although it was too late to replace him on the ballot. A statement released by the party emphasized the importance of candidates fully representing its aims and values.

The Daily Mail then published a longer recording that allegedly featured Ali blaming "people in the media from certain Jewish quarters" for the suspension of Andy McDonald, a Labour Member of Parliament, last year. McDonald was suspended after using a phrase that calls for the erasure of the Jewish state during a pro-Palestinian rally.

On the recording, the individual believed to be Ali continued to assert that Israel had conspired to remove Palestinians from Gaza and seize the land. These comments further fueled concerns over Ali's stance on Israel and raised questions about his suitability as a candidate.

Despite the withdrawal of support from the Labour Party, Azhar Ali will remain on the ballot. However, he has been suspended pending an investigation, indicating that if elected, he would serve as an independent lawmaker.

Since assuming leadership of the Labour Party in 2020, Keir Starmer has actively sought to move the party towards the political center. Starmer has made efforts to repair relations with Britain's Jewish community and root out accusations of antisemitism that plagued the party during the tenure of his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn.

Corbyn, a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause, was suspended from Labour in 2020 after suggesting that claims of antisemitism within the party were politically motivated.

The election in Rochdale was triggered by the death of the previous Labour lawmaker. Azhar Ali had been considered the frontrunner to win the seat. Other candidates include George Galloway, a former Labour lawmaker who now represents the Workers Party and has criticized Labour's stance on the Israel-Hamas war.

In response to recent events, Britain's Conservative government has imposed sanctions on four Israeli settlers accused of human rights abuses against Palestinians in the West Bank.

With an election expected to take place later this year, Labour currently holds a double-digit poll lead over the governing Conservatives, according to the Associated Press. As the party moves forward, Keir Starmer's commitment to repairing relations and addressing concerns over antisemitism within Labour will be closely watched.