Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing significant political criticism for publicly celebrating the return of a British democracy activist from detention in Egypt, following scrutiny of the man's historical social media activity.
Government Welcome Draws Swift Condemnation
On Friday, Sir Keir posted on X that he was "delighted" that Alaa Abd El-Fattah had been reunited with his family in the UK. The activist was released from an Egyptian prison in September 2025 after receiving a presidential pardon from President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi.
Cabinet ministers, including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, echoed the sentiment. However, the Jewish Leadership Council swiftly criticised the "effusive welcome" from the government.
Senior Conservative Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, accused Sir Keir of a "serious error of judgment" by endorsing Mr Abd El-Fattah, citing past posts attributed to the activist's account that appear to show "extremist" views.
Controversial Posts and a Withdrawn Nomination
Mr Jenrick referred to online posts dating back to 2010, which include apparent calls for violence against "zionists" and the police. While the Press Association could not verify the posts, they have a documented history.
In 2014, a group backing Mr Abd El-Fattah for the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize withdrew his nomination after discovering a 2012 tweet in which he was reported to have called for the murder of Israelis.
A Number 10 source stated that welcoming the activist's return was not an endorsement of his political views. They added that the highlighted social media posts had not been brought to the attention of senior ministers before the welcome was issued, and the Government finds them "abhorrent".
Broader Context and Government Defence
Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a British-Egyptian dual national, was a leading voice in Egypt's 2011 Arab Spring. He was detained in September 2019 and sentenced in December 2021 to five years for spreading false news, a case UN investigators called a breach of international law.
The Jewish Leadership Council linked its concern to recent antisemitic attacks in Manchester and Sydney, stating the Prime Minister's words could be heard as a "call to action" by some.
In response, a Foreign Office spokesperson emphasised that securing the release of Mr Abd El-Fattah, a British citizen, had been a "long-standing priority under successive governments", including the previous Conservative administration.
Mr Jenrick has now written to the Prime Minister demanding he clarify his prior knowledge of the posts, condemn them without qualification, and withdraw his "unalloyed endorsement" of the activist.
