Keir Starmer expressed regret for his previous statement of being “delighted” about democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah’s return to the UK after controversial social media posts resurfaced. The Prime Minister was frustrated that he was unaware of the “abhorrent” posts made by el-Fattah, a British-Egyptian citizen, dating back to 2010, where he seemed to advocate violence against Zionists and the police.
El-Fattah, a prominent figure in the Arab Spring protests, arrived in the UK on Boxing Day after a travel ban was lifted following his release from prison. Despite apologizing for his comments, calls from Tory and Reform politicians to revoke his citizenship have been made, although there are currently no plans for such action.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper initiated a review into the “serious information failures” that led to senior officials and politicians being unaware of el-Fattah’s past posts. When questioned about an apology, Starmer acknowledged the oversight and emphasized the need for remedial actions to address the system’s failure.
El-Fattah was granted UK citizenship in December 2021 under former PM Boris Johnson. His imprisonment for spreading false news was deemed a violation of international law by UN investigators. He was released by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in September after lobbying efforts from both Conservative and Labour governments.
Upon his return to the UK on December 26, el-Fattah reunited with his son in Brighton and issued a public apology for his previous remarks, acknowledging their hurtful nature and expressing regret for their impact. Downing Street described his posts as “abhorrent” but noted the sincerity of his apology.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson reiterated the government’s condemnation of el-Fattah’s historic tweets while emphasizing the commitment to upholding religious and political freedoms. The spokesperson acknowledged the return of a wrongfully detained British citizen while maintaining disapproval of the offensive nature of el-Fattah’s past statements.