The green entrepreneur and Labour donor Dale Vince has faced condemnation for saying the Israeli government is partly responsible for a rise in antisemitism globally, after the murder of 15 people at a Hanukah event in Sydney.
Vince, who has given more than £5m to Labour, as well as smaller sums to the Greens and Liberal Democrats, mainly via his Ecotricity green energy company, said his comments on X were “not intended to excuse or legitimise terrorism, or any form of racism”.
However, he was criticised by Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, who called on Keir Starmer to condemn Vince.
A Labour spokesperson said there “can never and should never be any excuses made for barbaric acts of terrorism”. It is understood that Vince is not a Labour member, and has not donated to the party since May 2024.
In a post sent on Sunday afternoon, the same day as the gun attack at Bondi beach, Vince quoted Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, saying “antisemitism spreads when leaders stay silent”.
Vince went on: “Nothing to do with Isreal committing Genocide in Palestine then. Netanyahu wants antisemitism to be a thing, it validates him – he acts to make it so.”
In a post on Monday, which Vince said was intended to clarify what he meant, he wrote: “My words on this subject were not intended to excuse or legitimise terrorism, or any form of racism – what happened at Bondi beach is an atrocity. My words are aimed at the intervention of Netanyahu who in my opinion overlooks the impacts of his own terrorism.
“If antisemitism is rising in the world today then surely on any rational analysis, the biggest single cause of that will be the genocide in Palestine. I condemn all acts of violence and all forms of racism.”
Quoting Vince’s original post, Badenoch wrote on X: “Hours after the biggest massacre of Jews since Oct 7th, the Labour party’s largest donor tweeted ‘Netanyahu wants antisemitism to be a thing’. A morally repugnant statement. Will Keir Starmer condemn his big financial backer? Staying silent implies he sees nothing wrong.”
Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative chair, wrote: “This is disgraceful. Any language that excuses or legitimises terrorism gives extremists cover and undermines our values. Labour must return all donations received from Mr Vince, refuse future ones, and make clear that terrorism has no moral ambiguity.”
A Labour spokesperson said: “We are absolutely clear that the antisemitic terrorist attack against Jewish families at a Hanukah event at Bondi beach is sickening. There can never and should never be any excuses made for barbaric acts of terrorism.
“The Labour government and the whole labour movement stands with the Jewish community in Australia, in the UK, and around the world at this awful time. Both before and since we entered government, Keir Starmer’s Labour party has made tackling antisemitism a key priority and this crucial work will continue so that Jews living at home and abroad can live safely, without fear of violence or prejudice.”
All donations to Labour are considered on a case-by-case basis, with the party’s “values” being one of the factors considered.
In a later statement, Vince said: “To be clear – Netanyahu blamed Australian government policy for the terror attack at Bondi Beach. I find that outrageous. Australians surely will too.
“I pointed out what I believe to be an obvious and logical thing – it is far more likely that Israeli policy not Australian policy is the cause. In due course we may find out, as one attacker is in custody.
“I very much doubt he will cite Australia’s recognition of Palestine as his reason for attacking Jewish people. Netanyahu is trying to gaslight us all and tries to use this atrocity to support his arguments. I find that morally repugnant as well as illogical. If I’ve not yet been clear enough – I condemn all acts of terror and all forms of racism.”
It is not the first time that major donors to UK political parties have caused controversy. Before the last election, the Conservatives faced pressure to return money from their biggest single donor, the businessman Frank Hester, over comments he made to colleagues.
Hester, who by then had given £10m to the Tories in a year, said looking at Diane Abbott made you “want to hate all black women” and said the MP “should be shot”.
The Conservatives resisted calls to pay back his donations after Hester apologised, saying this was sufficient to end the matter, and subsequently accepted another £5m from the businessman.
