A government minister has publicly called on green energy entrepreneur Dale Vince to issue an apology for a social media post he made following the deadly terror attack at Bondi Beach in Australia.
Controversial Comments Spark Political Row
Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity and a former donor to the Labour Party, faced immediate criticism for a post on Sunday, 15 December 2024. This came after gunmen targeted a Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 people. In his post, Vince stated that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "wants antisemitism to be a thing".
He later sought to clarify his remarks in a follow-up post on Monday, 16 December, writing: "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." He added that his criticism was aimed at Netanyahu, who in his opinion "overlooks the impacts of his own terrorism".
Minister Calls for Apology and Donation Review
Health and Care Minister Stephen Kinnock intervened in the growing controversy during an interview with LBC. He stated that Vince's initial comments were wrong and could have been misinterpreted.
"Well, it is wrong, of course, to blame the Jewish people collectively for the actions of the Israeli government," Kinnock said. He acknowledged widespread concern over Israeli actions in Gaza but stressed it was "completely wrong to in any way imply that the Jewish people collectively should be blamed for that."
Kinnock explicitly urged for an apology, suggesting the Labour Party should then review its position on accepting any future donations from the businessman. "I think he should apologise for that tweet, and then... we can review the position and take a decision on that basis," the Aberafan Maesteg MP stated. It is understood that Vince is not currently a Labour Party member or donor.
Cross-Party Condemnation and Labour's Stance
The remarks have drawn criticism from across the political spectrum. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch labelled Vince's statement "morally repugnant" and called on Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to condemn him.
In response, a Labour Party spokesperson issued a strong condemnation of the Bondi attack itself: "We are absolutely clear that the antisemitic terrorist attack against Jewish families at a Chanukah event at Bondi beach is sickening. There can never and should never be any excuses made for barbaric acts of terrorism."
The spokesperson reaffirmed the party's commitment to tackling antisemitism, a priority since Sir Keir Starmer became leader. Meanwhile, Stephen Kinnock emphasised the need to avoid polarisation, arguing it should be possible to express views on Gaza while also showing solidarity with Jewish communities.
