Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing significant political criticism for publicly celebrating the return of a British-Egyptian activist from detention in Egypt, after the man's historical social media posts, described as 'extremist', were brought to light.
Controversial Welcome for Freed Activist
On Friday, Sir Keir posted on social media platform X that he was "delighted" that Alaa Abd El-Fattah had been reunited with his family in the UK. The sentiment was quickly echoed by senior cabinet members including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Justice Secretary David Lammy.
Mr Abd El-Fattah, a dual national, was detained in Egypt in 2019 and later sentenced to five years in prison on charges of spreading false news. His case had been declared a breach of international law by UN investigators. He was freed in September 2025 after receiving a pardon from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, following lobbying efforts by both the current and previous UK governments.
Historical Posts Spark Outcry
The prime minister's positive message, however, has been met with fierce condemnation from opposition figures and Jewish groups. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick led the attack, stating Sir Keir's "personal, public endorsement" showed poor judgement.
Mr Jenrick pointed to a series of old posts, dating back to at least 2010, from an account attributed to Mr Abd El-Fattah. These posts allegedly include calls for violence against "zionists" and the police. In one instance from 2012, he is reported to have called for the murder of Israelis, a tweet which previously cost him a nomination for the European Parliament's prestigious Sakharov Prize for human rights.
"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 stated. He has since written to the prime minister demanding he clarify whether he was aware of these statements and asking him to "correct the record" and withdraw the endorsement.
Jewish Groups Voice Alarm
The criticism was amplified by the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), a charity representing UK Jewish organisations. The group said it was "appalled by the effusive welcome" from the government.
Connecting the issue to a recent rise in antisemitic incidents, including attacks in Manchester's Heaton Park and at Bondi Beach in Australia, the JLC expressed deep concern. "We know from Heaton Park, Manchester and Bondi Beach that there are those who hear such words as a call to action," a council statement read. It added that British Jews would see the celebration of Mr Abd El-Fattah's arrival as "yet another reminder of the danger we face."
In response to the growing controversy, a Foreign Office spokesperson reiterated the government's position: "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 statement did not address the specific allegations about the activist's past online comments.
