A Welsh election candidate has reportedly been suspended from the Labour party after a comment from his Twitter account described Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “fascist”.
Ziad Alsayed is standing for both the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Barry Town Council in the Baruc ward at next month’s local government elections. Responding to a recent tweet from Mayor of London Sadiq Khan that expressed solidarity with Ukraine following the country’s invasion by Russia, Mr Alsayed’s account tweeted: “If you mean the Ukrainian people that’s OK, but not the fascist president.”
In a tweet posted in Arabic in February this year, Mr Alsayed's account asked "how could we side with a country that has a Zionist president", in reference to Mr Zelensky. Another tweet from Mr Alsayed’s account, posted in May last year, attacked Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. This was in response to a tweet by former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell which stated: “In his speech to [right wing Labour group] Progress today it appears Keir Starmer has dumped Labour’s last manifestos.” The message from Mr Alsayed’s account said in reference to Sir Keir: “He’s disgusting.” You can get more politics news and other story updates by subscribing to our newsletters here.
Now the BBC has reported that Labour has suspended Mr Alsayed pending an investigation. According to the broadcaster, the party no longer endorses the candidate in the elections but he will remain listed as a Labour candidate on the ballot because nominations have closed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to justify the invasion by claiming that Ukraine is run by “Nazis” and that the country needs to be “deNazified”. See all our stories on Welsh politics here.
President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, Marie van der Zyl, said: "A Labour candidate suggesting that Ukraine should not be supported because it has a 'Zionist president' is offensive on a number of levels. We trust that Labour will move quickly to suspend this individual from the party."
And ex-Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns, the Tory MP for Vale of Glamorgan, said: “To make such a statement when a nation is under siege from the most ruthless aggressor who has no respect for international law. We all recognise the war crimes and to post doubt will only embolden Putin's cronies. These comments from an official Labour candidate are shocking and could have come straight from the Kremlin's propaganda arm." Welsh families have criticised the UK Government's 'embarrassing' process of re-homing Ukrainian refugees.
A spokesman for the Labour Party said earlier this week: "The party takes all complaints seriously. They are fully investigated and any appropriate action is taken.”
Announcing his candidacy on social media last month, Mr Alsayed wrote: “My name is and I am standing for the Vale and Barry Town Council election in the Baruc ward. As a member of this community I strongly feel that it is time for me to pay back some of what I owe to the town and the Vale, with all my huge life experience.”
His Twitter profile describes him as an “international activist fighting for justice and equality” and adds: “stop imperialism spread it's [sic] germs”. Mr Alsayed did not responded to our approach for comment when we first reported on how he was being investigated by the Labour Party.
The ward where he is standing for election currently has Plaid Cymru councillors. A Plaid source said: “He hasn’t been prominent in the community before. This isn't a tweet that is likely to go down well.” You can read more breaking news here.
