Former Super League star Keith Mason sacked ahead of general election for ‘anti-Islam bigotry’

VaselineJune 11, 2024

1 3 minutes read

Former Super League star Keith Mason sacked ahead of general election for ‘anti-Islam bigotry’

Former Super League star Keith Mason has been barred from running for Britain’s Labor Party after he was sacked by the party leader over tweets that made him “guilty of anti-Islamic bigotry”.

It was a surprise when Keith Mason confirmed he would stand as a candidate for the UK Labor Party in the upcoming general election, with his candidacy announced at the beginning of May met with shock by fans.

The former Huddersfield Giants man was due to stand in his home constituency of Wakefield and Rothwell for George Galloway’s UK Labor Party, but just over a month later he has already been recalled.

It follows confirmation from party leader George Galloway that Mason has been “sacked” after historic tweets emerged in which the former Super League man was “guilty of anti-Islamic bigotry”.

The general election will take place on Thursday, July 4.

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Keith Mason fired after historic tweets surfaced

Credit: Imago Images

When confirming his intention to stand, Mason claimed he would “stand up for ordinary working class men and women in Wakefield”.

He would reference his own personal battles and his intention to “give something back” as part of his confirmation statement, however, less than a month after the election, he found his candidacy eliminated.

George Galloway, the leader of the party Mason represented, took to social media last night to confirm Mason’s sacking.

Galloway said: “We have dismissed Keith Mason, as we have previously dismissed candidates for anti-Semitism. Mason apologized for his historic tweets that were published when he was indeed guilty of anti-Islamic bigotry. However, it seems that repentance is not enough in the election game. So he left. I hope he will continue to support Gaza and continue his journey on the right path.”

We dismissed Keith Mason, as we have previously dismissed candidates for anti-Semitism. Mason apologized for his historic tweets that were published when he was indeed guilty of anti-Islamic bigotry. However, it seems that repentance is not enough in the election game. So he left. I hope he…

— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) June 10, 2024

A series of tweets discovered from late 2023 and even earlier this year saw Mason label Muhammad a “false prophet”, also claiming that “Islam without lies dies”.

The tweets were discovered by the Islamic news site “5 Pillars” and can be seen here.

Mason responds to the dismissal

Credit: Imago Images

Before entering politics, a venture that now appears to have ended prematurely, Keith Mason was one of Super League’s power forwards. He played nearly 150 times for Huddersfield Giants and also had spells with Wakefield Trinity, St Helens and Castleford Tigers.

He had a brief spell in Australia playing for the Melbourne Storm and also represented Wales before turning to acting once he retired before his latest political venture.

After it was reported that he had been fired, Keith Mason took to social media to defend himself against any accusations of Islamophobia, claiming that none of the Muslims he grew up around would accuse him of being Islamophobic.

He posted: “I grew up with Muslims my whole life, I see them as my brothers and sisters and none of them would say I was ever Islamophobic!

“I am Roman Catholic and Jesus Christ is my savior, I am his biggest fan and I respect all religions because in the end we all aim for one thing and that is PEACE! if Christians and Muslims united we would live in a much more peaceful world.

“I don’t have to agree with other religions any more than you would with mine, but I have absolutely 100% respect for all my Muslim brothers and sisters, in fact I have more Muslim friends than Christian friends. I apologize to anyone who misinterpreted a conversation that came out this way

“Inshallah God bless you all.”

I grew up with Muslims all my life, I see them as my brothers and sisters, and none of them would say I was ever Islamophobic!

I am Roman Catholic and Jesus Christ is my savior, I am his biggest fan and I respect all religions because in the end we are all…

– Official Keith Mason (@Realkeithmason) June 10, 2024