Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire after publicly welcoming the return of a British activist who had been detained in Egypt, following the resurfacing of historic social media posts attributed to the individual.
The prime minister said on Friday he was “delighted” that Alaa Abd El-Fattah had been reunited with his family in the UK. However, past posts have since emerged from an account linked to Mr Abd El-Fattah that appear to call for violence against Zionists.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick said Sir Keir’s comments amounted to an “endorsement” and demonstrated poor judgment, arguing that Mr Abd El-Fattah had a “record of extremist statements about violence, Jews and the police”.
Political Pressure Mounts on Prime Minister Over Public Remarks
It is understood Sir Keir was not aware of the historic posts at the time he welcomed Mr Abd El-Fattah’s return.
Mr Jenrick said that if this is the case, the prime minister should retract his comments. He also called for Mr Abd El-Fattah’s British citizenship to be revoked and for him to be deported.
In a letter to Sir Keir, Mr Jenrick wrote: “Given Mr Abd El-Fattah’s record of extremist statements about violence, Jews and the police, it was a serious error of judgment.”
Mr Jenrick later reiterated his position in an interview with Sky News and in a post on X, saying: “If the prime minister really was unaware that El Fattah was an extremist, he should immediately retract his comments expressing ‘delight’ at his arrival and begin proceedings to revoke his citizenship and deport him.”
Foreign Office Defends Long-Running Campaign for Release
The Foreign Office said working for Mr Abd El-Fattah’s release had been “a long-standing priority under successive governments”, while stressing that it regarded the historic posts as “abhorrent”.
Mr Abd El-Fattah, a British-Egyptian dual national, was arrested in Egypt in 2019 and later sentenced to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news. United Nations investigators described his imprisonment as a breach of international law.
He was released in September after receiving a pardon from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi. Conservative politicians had also previously supported calls for his release.
A prominent figure during Egypt’s 2011 Arab Spring uprising, Mr Abd El-Fattah carried out hunger strikes while in prison.
In a statement posted on X, Sir Keir said: “I’m delighted that Alaa Abd El-Fattah is back in the UK and has been reunited with his loved ones, who must be feeling profound relief.
“I want to pay tribute to Alaa’s family, and to all those that have worked and campaigned for this moment.
“Alaa’s case has been a top priority for my government since we came to office. I’m grateful to President Sisi for his decision to grant the pardon.”
Mr Jenrick said these remarks amounted to a “personal, public endorsement” by the prime minister.
The Prime Minister very publicly endorsed and welcomed to the UK a man with disgusting, extremist views.
Does he really support him? Or was he just ignorant?
My letter to @Keir_Starmer👇 pic.twitter.com/Iefk4VxmZc
— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) December 27, 2025
Historic Tweets and Community Concerns Resurface
Mr Jenrick pointed to online posts dating back to 2010 that appear to originate from Mr Abd El-Fattah’s X account, including messages that appear to call for violence against “Zionists” and the police.
In 2014, similar posts led to the withdrawal of his nomination for the European Parliament’s Sakharov Prize for human rights. The group backing the nomination said at the time it had uncovered a 2012 tweet in which he called for the murder of Israelis.
The Jewish Leadership Council also raised concerns, particularly in the context of recent antisemitic incidents in Manchester and at Australia’s Bondi Beach.
In a statement, the council said: “We are appalled by the effusive welcome Alaa Abd El-Fattah has received from the UK government.
“The prime minister recently reiterated his determination to root out antisemitism from our country but has now shared his delight that someone who has advocated for killing Zionists has arrived in the UK.
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“We know from Heaton Park, Manchester and Bondi Beach that there are those who hear such words as a call to action.
“The government has celebrated Mr Abd El-Fattah’s arrival as a victory, British Jews will see it as yet another reminder of the danger we face.”
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “Mr El-Fattah is a British citizen. It has been a long-standing priority under successive governments to work for his release from detention, and to see him reunited with his family in the UK.
“The government condemns Mr El-Fattah’s historic tweets and considers them to be abhorrent.”
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