Faiza Shaheen Resigns from Labour, Citing ‘Hierarchy of Racism’ After Being Blocked as Candidate

Progressive hopeful Faiza Shaheen departs from the Labour Party following candidacy obstruction

Faiza Shaheen has been prevented from representing the Labour Party in elections due to her apparent endorsement of social media content that minimized allegations of antisemitism. She asserts that her departure is a result of being "punished for sharing my personal encounters with Islamophobia."

Political correspondent @fayebrownSky

Tuesday, June 4, 2024, 4:

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Faiza Shaheen has stepped down from the Labour Party after she was barred from running as a candidate in the election, alleging that the party practices a "hierarchy of racism."

Ms. Shaheen was removed from her candidacy for Chingford and Woodford Green following reports that she endorsed multiple social media posts which minimized allegations of antisemitism.

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In her announcement made on X, she expressed that she faced repercussions for sharing her personal encounters with Islamophobia.

"Today, it is with great sadness that I announce my decision to step down from the Labour Party."

Ms. Shaheen charged the Labour Party with orchestrating a "bogus procedure under false pretenses" aimed at disqualifying her from running for the northeast London position.

In the 2019 election, she was the runner-up to the Conservative stalwart Sir Iain Duncan Smith, with a narrow margin of just over 1,000 votes separating them.

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On Tuesday, the governing National Executive Committee of the party decided not to support the economist and writer for endorsement again, opting to select Brent councillor Shama Tatler instead.

Ms. Shaheen stated that she has endured "an unceasing onslaught of unjust treatment, intimidation, and aggression unlike anything she has encountered in her entire personal or professional life."

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She also mentioned that her successor is "an individual unfamiliar and unsupported by the majority of local members and without any connections to our community."

"She expressed her frustration at being penalized for sharing her experiences with Islamophobia and highlighted her disappointment with the apparent levels of racism within her own party," she stated.

She ended by stating that she was considering her future actions and would provide an additional update on Wednesday.

The deadline for election nominations is this Friday, leaving Ms. Shaheen with the possibility to still enter the race as an independent.

A representative for the party chose not to comment on the allegations mentioned in the letter, stating to Sky News, "Our main goal is to elect a Labour government and bring about the necessary changes for the residents of Chingford and Woodford Green, as well as for people throughout the nation."

The dispute arises as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer faces allegations of removing left-wing candidates from positions.

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Last week, former Brighton Kemptown MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle was informed that he is ineligible to run for re-election after the Labour Party suspended him due to what he described as a baseless and politically-driven accusation.

Experienced Member of Parliament Diane Abbott reported that she was prevented from running in Hacket North and Stoke Newington, but Sir Keir clarified after several days of uncertainty that this was not true.

Labour has officially announced that the ally of Jeremy Corbyn and the first black woman to serve as an MP in the UK has been selected as the candidate for her district, a position she has held for 37 years.

The management of the campaigns of both Ms. Abbott and Ms. Shaheen led to the departure of seven Labour councillors in Slough, who alleged that the party was engaging in racist practices.

When questioned about the recent resignations on Tuesday, Sir Keir Starmer emphasized, "We have exceptional Labour groups in each constituency, vigorously campaigning for votes in the current general election."

He stated, "Our performance is strong, and we're presenting a compelling case regarding the options facing the nation."

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