Forum Topic

Shabana Mahmoud ~ Pro-Palestine Activist?

Is this the right person to be Home Secretary?  Or in Government at all?
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DS0JkidDMfx/?igsh=Mm1vanBkNDVuYm84

Sue Hammond ● 302d16 Comments

Really? Why?

David Ainsworth ● 302d

To be fair to Shabana Mahmood, Sue, I think her views have changed. It is true that in 2014 she took part in a demonstration to close a Sainsbury's store which was selling produce obtained from Israeli settlements on the West Bank. But unlike many Muslims in this country she spoke out against he massacre of October 7. She wrote, 'I unequivocally condemn the despicable actions of Hamas, who targeted innocent Israeli civilians. The hostages must be returned. These atrocities were committed by terrorists who do not seek peace and have set back the just cause of Palestinian freedom ad statehood , which I have supported al my life'. She is about the only member of the Labour Front Bench I have any time for.

Steven Rose ● 302d

No Mr Rose you must be wrong. Sue Hammond got it from a pseudonym on Instagram:-"We’re in an era where a blatant H*mas supporter can rise to one of the UK’s top jobs."Fancy Starmer being fooled!

David Ainsworth ● 302d

@StevenBut have her views really changed or has it been politically convenient to bury them?  However removing such controversial videos from her website will not make them disappear, or be forgotten.

Sue Hammond ● 302d

It's an interesting point. How much do or can people's views change over the years? We have Lee Anderson where he's gone from Labour to Reform via the Conservative Party. Can we assuming views have changed - I think he'd say they have - or could it be a cunning plan to maintain his seat in the HoC?Then there's Nigel Farage. Classmates from his old school allege he was antisemitic and racist. He hasn't apologised and has suggested it may have been banter:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgexg4lz2q5o.ampSadly, X didn't exist when Nigel was at school so no evidence for or against remains, but he does indicate it was 50 years ago and presumably implying he has different views now? (To be honest I seem to remember what would now be considered racist and sexisist banter from my school days - although I don't recall overt antisemitism as the horrors of the holocaust were still very fresh in our parents and, via our parents, our own minds. An acknowledgement and apology might be sensible as are all those classmates making false claims?)Jeremy Corbyn seems to have maintained and expressed constant views over the years but his once Marxist brother, Piers, now seems to have libertarian views approaching those of MAGA supporters - or so it appears to me.So is it unreasonable to believe Shabana's views have changed, or perhaps she's compromising to take a pragmatic view to get things done?Who knows if anyone's views really change, but, if they take what others considered yo be the necessary action, does it matter? After all, in a government Cabinet, there's going to be a range of views and some members are going to have to compromise whether that's to accommodate others views or the reality of a situation.

Michael Ixer ● 302d

Mr Ixer'It's an interesting point. How much do or can people's views change over the years?''Then there's Nigel Farage. Classmates from his old school allege he was antisemitic and racist. He hasn't apologised and has suggested it may have been banter'.What conveniently good memories they have.How much can you remember of what your fellow pupils or even yourself said 50+ years ago ?So how pathetic of you when in challenging Farage's policies on immigration and calling him racist you have to bring up what he is supposed to have said at school some 50 (?) years ago.'Sadly, X didn't exist when Nigel was at school so no evidence for or against remains, but he does indicate it was 50 years ago and presumably implying he has different views now?'Snide analysis with, as you admit, no evidence of what he actually said as a schoolboy, and in what context anything that might have been said was made. To you he is only 'implying' that he has changed whereas you obviously think he has not and is still as antisemitic as then.Very totalitarian of you to damn a person for not apologising for something he denies saying and for which there is no evidence he even did so.Stalinist even.What evidence do you have of him being antisemitic today ?Many on this Forum today make what can easily be construed as antisemitic comments yet you never challenge or decry them.And why is it racist to have firm views on immigration that differ from yours ?And what evidence do we have that you were the perfect schoolboy progressive, enchanting (or infuriating) your fellow pupils by singing "Kumbaya" all the time.I am sure your views have never changed and that back in the day you were as priggish and sanctimonious as you come across, to me at least, today.Mr Pollyanna in fact !

John Hawkes ● 301d

Whether people's political views change depends in large measure on what they are based. If their views are based on religious convictions, change is rare. This also applies to new age, secular religions such as woke ideology. Someone for whom trans' rights is a defining issue is unlikely to vote for a party which believes in biological gender. If their views are those of a group to which they belong and from which they fear to be excluded, change is also difficult. I imagine that there are social circles in Putney in which any individuals who dared to say that they were going to vote for the Conservatives or Reform next time would soon find themselves unwelcome. But views based on rational analysis can change when the facts change. For example, I am sure sure that a number of people who were not particularly opposed to UK membership of the  EU voted Leave simply because of the issue of immigrant numbers.As regards Shabana Mahmood, I imagine that as a devout Muslim her underlying sympathy for the Palestinians remains the same as before. But she recognises that the appalling pogrom of October 7 reflects discredit on their cause. And the anti-Semitic hate crimes which have accompanied the pro-Palestinian demonstrations threaten civil order which, as Home Secretary, it is her job to maintain.A more interesting case is Keir Starmer, whose originally left wing views were formed by the group of people with whom he associated as a university student and then as a radical lawyer. But when he became Leader of the Opposition he was confronted with a new group of hard nosed political figures such as Morgan Mc Sweeney and Pat Mc Fadden who persuaded him that a lot of the things he believed or thought he believed (because he had never subjected them to serious examination) were actually daft or impractical. Thus he soon ditched support for Jeremy Corbyn, renationalisation of the utilities, a second Referendum, freedom of movement for EU nationals, the abolition of student fees and so on.

Steven Rose ● 301d

I very much doubt that Mahmood has given up on her support for a Palestinian State but she has attempted to bury it, although not very successfully because Kemi Badenoch mocked Mahmood’s antics in Sainsbury during her brilliant Budget speech:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPjG7dqETTA/?igsh=ZTZ2aWx4dThsajJ4 I find it odd that Mahmood is now so coy about her support for the Palestinians although I suspect she’s been told to keep quiet, which would be odd considering that Starmer also demonstrated his support for a Palestinian State in a speech a few months ago,  He is not so vocal now.  Has he flip-flopped again or just sitting on the fence?  Again.

Sue Hammond ● 301d

‘I very much doubt that Mahmood has given up on her support for a Palestinian State but she has attempted to bury it,’I assume you are aware that last September the UK formally recognised Palestine to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people? Why would you expect a minister hide her support for Government policy?

Gerry Boyce ● 301d

I am very aware of Starmer’s speech which he made several months ago but I am not aware of him endorsing it since.  But perhaps I missed something, perhaps you can help me over this?Now a question for you: why do you think Mahmood removed her blatant pro-Palestinian/anti-Semitic video from her website?

Sue Hammond ● 301d

Perhaps you could quote the actual antisemitism in that clip for us all, please? Or perhaps explain why you claim that it is antisemitism?

David Ainsworth ● 301d

As regards the government position on recognising Palestine, there is a Government press release / statement from September 2025 that clarifies its view on Palestine. Supporting Palestine is very different to being anti-Semitic, anti-Zionist, a useful-idiot, pro-Hamas etc etc.I really do not see what the problem is with Mahmoud describing her protest against illegal settlements in the West Bank. I don’t know who took the video down or why they did it; I could see it might be a bit embarrassing or a distraction from her work now, but I really don’t see any anti-Semitic or anti-Zionist views being expressed or endorsed.

Gerry Boyce ● 301d

Oh I am sure that Starmer is in favour of a State of Palestine, but there is a problem putting it anywhere near Israel, like Gaza or the West Bank. Probably he is going through other possibilities, like Uganda, Patagonia, Cyprus, Madagascar, Eastern Siberia, the Australian Outback, Angola, Brazil, the Great Plains of the US, and Manchuria.Obviously, it will take a while.

David Ainsworth ● 301d

Mr Ainsworth'Perhaps you could quote the actual antisemitism in that clip for us all, please?Or perhaps explain why you claim that it is antisemitism?'We leave any such explanation to you - the Forum's proven and practiced expert on antisemitism 😉

John Hawkes ● 301d

Mr Ainsworth'Oh I am sure that Starmer is in favour of a State of Palestine, but there is a problem putting it anywhere near Israel, like Gaza or the West Bank. Probably he is going through other possibilities, like Uganda, Patagonia, Cyprus, Madagascar, Eastern Siberia, the Australian Outback, Angola, Brazil, the Great Plains of the US, and Manchuria.Obviously, it will take a while.'I have asked you before and am yet to receive an answer.What territory do you think should make up a Palestinian sate ?Is it Gaza and the West Bank or greater ?Might be quicker to locate it in West Putney where the residents will welcome the situation with open arms 😁

John Hawkes ● 301d

'State' not 'sate'.Typo

John Hawkes ● 300d