Keir Starmer expressed regret over his previous statement of being pleased about the return of democracy activist Alaa Abd el-Fattah to Britain after controversial social media posts resurfaced. The Prime Minister expressed frustration at not being informed about the “abhorrent” posts by the British-Egyptian dual national dating back to 2010, where he appeared 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 remarks, there have been calls from Tory and Reform politicians to revoke his citizenship, although there are no current plans to do so.
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper initiated a review into “serious information failures” that led to senior officials being unaware of the posts. Starmer acknowledged the oversight, stating that the lack of awareness within the government system was a failure that should not have occurred.
El-Fattah was granted UK citizenship in December 2021 under then-PM Boris Johnson. His imprisonment on charges of spreading false news was condemned as a violation of international law by UN investigators. He was eventually pardoned by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi in September after lobbying efforts by both Conservative and Labour governments.
El-Fattah, upon his return to the UK, issued an apology, acknowledging the offensiveness of his past comments. Downing Street described the posts as “abhorrent” but noted that his apology was comprehensive. The government emphasized the importance of religious and political freedom while condemning the historical tweets as unacceptable.
El-Fattah expressed remorse for his statements, attributing them to youthful anger and frustrations during regional crises. He admitted to engaging in online disputes without considering the impact of his words on others, acknowledging that he should have shown better judgment.
The British government affirmed its commitment to upholding individual freedoms while maintaining its stance against the offensive nature of El-Fattah’s past remarks.