Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow, has accused the Conservative Party of playing a “dog whistle” game with their response to Israel’s refusal to allow two Labour MPs to enter the country.
🚫 MPs Blocked from Entering Israel
Over the weekend, Labour MPs Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed were turned away by Israeli authorities as they attempted to enter Israel on their way to the West Bank. According to Israel, they were trying to “spread anti-Israeli hatred,” a claim that the MPs and the UK government strongly deny.
In response, the UK government stood by the two MPs, calling Israel’s actions “unacceptable.” However, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch defended Israel’s right to control its borders, stating that it was “shocking” and “very significant” that it was Labour MPs who were blocked.
👂 Creasy Slams Tories for “Dog Whistle” Politics
On the floor of the House of Commons, Stella Creasy didn’t hold back. She described the Tory response as a “dog whistle” so loud that “it could be heard on the moon.” She reminded her colleagues about a similar situation in 2022 when 287 British MPs, including herself and Kemi Badenoch, were banned from entering Russia due to their stance on the Ukrainian crisis. Back then, the House of Commons stood united, condemning the intimidation.
Creasy expressed her disbelief, saying: “Today, we get a dog whistle from the opposition so loud… What a disgrace.”
🔊 Back-and-Forth Between Lammy and Badenoch
The tensions continued to rise when Foreign Secretary David Lammy hit out at Badenoch on X (formerly Twitter). He called it “disgraceful” that she was supporting Israel’s decision to detain the MPs. Lammy challenged Badenoch by asking if she’d feel the same way about Tory MPs banned from China.
Badenoch quickly responded, saying, “Unlike China, Israel is our ally and a democracy.” She added that a “good Foreign Secretary would be able to make that distinction.”
💥 More Tensions on the BBC
The BBC’s Politics Live saw another clash between Labour MP Chris Curtis and Tory shadow cabinet minister Andrew Bowie. Curtis accused the Conservatives of engaging in “petty party politics,” saying that the MPs had done nothing wrong and only wanted to see the situation in the occupied West Bank for themselves.
Curtis added: “This is about standing up for British parliamentarians. It’s not about petty politics.”
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