A Labour MP has hit out at the Conservative Party over its response to Israel’s refusal to allow two British MPs into the country, accusing them of playing “petty party politics” in the process.
🛑 The Dispute Over MPs Denied Entry
Over the weekend, two Labour MPs, Yuan Yang and Abtisam Mohamed, were barred from entering Israel. They had been travelling to the occupied West Bank, but Israel said their entry was blocked because they intended to “spread hate speech” against the country.
Both MPs and the UK government denied the accusations, but Tory leader Kemi Badenoch waded into the row, defending Israel’s actions. She argued that countries should have the right to control their borders, causing further controversy.
💥 Back and Forth in the BBC Studios
The fallout continued on BBC’s Politics Live when presenter Jo Coburn asked Conservative MP Andrew Bowie whether he believed the two Labour MPs were really planning to spread hate speech.
Bowie, however, played it safe. “I don’t know the particular situation of these MPs,” he said, before acknowledging that there had been extreme comments from different parties in Parliament.
He also sympathised with Israel’s position, saying, “I can understand why a country like Israel might be more reluctant to allow people in, given their situation.” But he stood by the idea that every country has the right to control who enters its borders.
👀 Chris Curtis’ Reaction Speaks Volumes
Meanwhile, Labour MP Chris Curtis wasn’t holding back his frustration. As Bowie spoke, Curtis visibly rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.
“These are my friends,” he said. “They are decent, hard-working MPs who would stand up for the UK. They have never said anything close to hate speech about any country, let alone Israel.”
Curtis doubled down on Labour’s stance, echoing Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s remarks that Israel’s actions were “completely unacceptable.” He added that blocking MPs in such a way was “counterproductive.”
⚠️ A Dangerous Shift?
Curtis didn’t stop there. He criticised the Conservative Party for what he sees as a dangerous shift away from defending British parliamentarians. “We used to put the interests of Britain first,” he said. “Now, it seems the Tories are more interested in petty party politics.”
Bowie responded by reiterating that “Israel took a decision on this,” and that “they’ve given their reasons for it.” But Curtis was having none of it. “You could have put yourself on the side of British parliamentarians,” he shot back.
You can watch it below:
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