The UK Government has issued a strong condemnation of historic social media posts made by Egyptian-British democracy activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah, branding them "abhorrent". This comes amidst a growing political storm following the activist's return to Britain after years of detention in Egypt.
Political Backlash and Calls for Deportation
The controversy has triggered a fierce response from the Conservative opposition, who are now demanding that the dual-national dissident be stripped of his UK citizenship and deported. The calls follow the emergence of posts, reportedly from the activist's X account dating back to 2010 and 2012, in which he appeared to advocate violence against Zionists and the police.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing significant criticism for his celebratory response to Mr Abd El-Fattah's return to the UK on Boxing Day. Sir Keir had stated he was "delighted" the activist was reunited with his family, a sentiment echoed by senior ministers including Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
Government Response and Jewish Community Concerns
In a statement on Sunday 28 December 2025, the Foreign Office clarified its position, stating: "The Government condemns Mr El-Fattah's historic tweets and considers them to be abhorrent." This was appended to an earlier comment affirming his status as a British citizen and noting the long-standing cross-party effort to secure his release.
Leading Jewish organisations have expressed profound alarm. The Board of Deputies of British Jews criticised the "effusive" government welcome, stating the campaign for his release displayed an "astonishing lack of due diligence". They highlighted that his rhetoric was "threatening to British Jews and the wider public".
The Jewish Leadership Council linked the welcome to recent antisemitic attacks, stating: "We know from Heaton Park, Manchester, and Bondi Beach that there are those who hear such words as a call to action."
Case History and Cross-Party Reckoning
Alaa Abd El-Fattah, a prominent figure in Egypt's 2011 Arab Spring, was detained in September 2019 and later sentenced to five years in prison for spreading false news. His imprisonment was deemed a breach of international law by UN investigators. He was released after receiving a pardon from Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi.
The fallout has caused regret among some of his former supporters. Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith, who had lobbied for the release, said he regretted signing the relevant letter, calling the newly revealed views "utterly abhorrent" and urging a police investigation.
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick led calls for deportation, arguing Mr Abd El-Fattah's links to the UK were "tenuous at best" and his citizenship, obtained through his UK-born mother while he was in prison, exploited a "loophole".
Downing Street sources have rejected the idea that welcoming the activist's return was an endorsement of his views, noting Sir Keir was unaware of the social media posts at the time. The posts in question, which could not be independently verified by the Press Association, had previously cost the blogger a nomination for the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize in 2014.
