By T. Jayani, JadeTimes News
Seven councillors have resigned from the Labour Party citing the treatment of Diane Abbott and Faiza Shaheen, Labour's stance on Gaza, and remarks made by the local MP. The councillors from Slough Borough Council stated that debates over whether Abbott and Shaheen could run for election exposed "institutional racism" within the party.
Faiza Shaheen was barred from running as Labour’s candidate in Chingford and Woodford Green, north London, due to historical social media posts. Diane Abbott was recently informed she could stand for election again after her suspension from the party. A Labour spokesperson said the party remains committed to electing a Labour government and addressing the needs of people in Slough and across the country.
The councillors who resigned are Zaffar Ajaib, Sabia Akram, Haqeeq Dar, Mohammed Nazir, Naveeda Qaseem, Waqas Sabah, and Jamilia Sabah. In their resignation statement, they expressed that they felt compelled to leave the party. "We must stay true to our values and conscience, even if the party we once believed in has abandoned them," the statement read.
The councilors also criticized Labour’s position on the Gaza conflict, particularly its hesitance to support parliamentary motions calling for a ceasefire. They condemned Slough MP Tan Dhesi for accusing independent candidate Azhar Chohan of "toxifying" the town. Chohan, a former Labour Party member, has pledged support for Palestine and is endorsed by an organization called Muslim Vote.
In a statement, Dhesi warned against being "duped" by those asking a particular faith community to vote as a bloc. The resigning councillors indicated they would continue to serve on Slough Borough Council as independents.
Dhesi, speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, noted that he had recently canvassed with some of the resigning councillors and that they had not expressed their concerns to him at that time. "It’s very strange that some of them were out canvassing with me recently, including over the last two days and didn’t raise any such grievances,” he said.