Junior doctors leader defends Labour politician amid anti-Semitism row

Junior doctors leader defends actions of Labour politician amid anti-Semitism row

  • Dr Shohaib Ali took to Twitter to discuss 2020 sacking of Rebecca Long-Bailey 
  • Dr Ali was ‘deflated’ when former shadow education secretary was dismissed 
  • The tweets come days after Dr Martin Whyte, Deputy Chairman of the Junior Doctors committee, was suspended from BMA  joke about gassing ‘the Jews’ 

A Junior doctors leader has defended Labour politician Rebecca Long-Bailey after she shared an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory three years ago. 

Dr Shohaib Ali took to Twitter to discuss the sacking of Ms Long-Bailey, who was dismissed from the Labour frontbench for her actions back in 2020.

Dr Ali, a member of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) council, wrote that he was ‘deflated’ that Ms Long-Bailey, the former shadow education secretary, was sacked by Sir Keir Starmer, who said at the time that tackling anti-Semitism was his ‘first priority’. 

Dr Ali went onto claim that criticising the state power of Israel was not an anti-Semitic action. 

At the time, Ms Long-Bailey, who shared an article online containing the conspiracy theory, said she had not intended to endorse all aspects of the piece. 

In another tweet, Dr Ali described the Labour party as his ‘political home’, claiming that he thought Conservative Party members are ‘evil’. 

Dr Shohaib Ali took to Twitter to discuss the sacking of Ms Long-Bailey (pictured) who was dismissed from the Labour frontbench for her actions back in 2020.

Dr Martin Whyte, deputy chair of The UK Junior Doctors Committee on the picket line in Newcastle

READ MORE: Health chief urges talks to end doctors’ strike: Walkouts are harming patients and a third party should be brought into broker talks between unions and Government, medical professor says 

The tweets come days after Dr Martin Whyte, Deputy Chairman of the Junior Doctors committee, was suspended from his BMA roles after taking to Twitter to joke about gassing ‘the Jews’.

The paediatrician used his account to promote videos that claim the holocaust was a hoax and called for people to boycott Israel ‘out of spite’.

He also made jibes about the ‘decomposing carcass of the Queen’ and called Conservatives ‘bastards’, adding they should not be allowed to work as medics.

The BMA called his comments ‘totally unacceptable’ in an email to their members today. It said there was ‘absolutely no place in the BMA for anti-Semitism’.

A third member of the BMA council, Kayode Oki, previously described Britain as a ‘white supremacist patriarchy’ in a series of tweets. 

The self-professed ‘socialist trouble-maker’ branded ‘so many’ members of his own profession as ‘willing to prop up white supremacist rhetoric’.

And he accused white women of being ‘scary’ mischief-makers who steal ideas from black people.

Mr Oki said: ‘I am disappointed that these comments, which are my personal views, are being taken without the context such complex subject areas deserve.’

A BMA spokesperson said: ‘Dr Oki has been removed from taking part in any and all BMA business with immediate effect and the BMA will be undertaking an external independent investigation.’

According to the Telegraph, a senior government source said of Dr Ali’s comments:  ‘This news is deeply concerning, especially as it follows just days after the deputy co-chair of the junior doctors committee was suspended over anti-Semitic comments’. 

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