𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

A former advisor to Jeremy Corbyn has defended the “Palestine Poppy”. The enamel “Palestine Peace” badge was designed by NHS doctor Abdul Qader Ismail — who previously stated that Israel was a “cancer” — and listed on eBay for £1.78. Profits are said to be donated to charities working to “end the occupation and war crimes” in Gaza. James Schneider said during a discussion on GB News: “If people wish to remember people who have died in war, through different ways, that should be absolutely fine. I don’t think we should have a culture war over how we remember people who have died in the horrors of war, and I also don’t think that the symbol that we use to remember people who have died in war, who have died serving our country, should be used as a political stick, let’s say, to beat one group or another group. Let’s be a little bit more grown-up about it.”

He was then asked if he disagreed with the Palestine Poppy. Mr Schneider replied that he did not. When it was put to him that the symbol politicised remembrance, he said the people should be free to “remember also the dead that have fallen in Palestine in the last three years, through the genocide, as well as we remember those in previous wars”.

Former Attorney General, Sir Michael Ellis then disputed that there is a genocide taking place, adding that “surely” the Palestine poppy would be classed as cultural appropriation “if the shoe was on the other foot”. Sir Michael added that the poppy is “a 100-plus-year-old symbol of british and imperial war dead” to remember people, “very often young people, very young people, who fought and died for their King and country, and who gave their lives so that people who protest now can have the freedom to protest”.

The policitisation of the poppy should be “negatively viewed”, he also said, also mentioning that he is against the white poppy, which represents peace. “The fact is everyone is against war, almost nobody [wants war],” Sir Michael added. “Do you think the young men who died for their country in World War 1 and World War 2 were pro-war? Of course they weren’t pro-war.”

It comes as the annual remembrance service is set to take place at the Cenotaph in Whitehall tomorrow. Armed forces charity the Royal British Legion (RBL) has celebrated a record £1.7million being raised in its annual London Poppy Day, which this year was launched by EastEnders actor Ross Kemp.

The organisation, which also runs the national Poppy Appeal, said £1,703,851 was raised in the 20th edition of the event.

In the city-wide fundraising effort, on October 29, some 2,500 armed forces personnel and volunteers collected donations at stations, transport hubs and other busy places across the capital.

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