Shahrar Ali

Shahrar Ali has degrees in biochemical engineering (BEng) and philosophy (BA, MPhil, PhD) from the University of London.[2] His 1997 MPhil thesis was on "Practical reason with reference to the Human conception", and his 2004 PhD thesis (UCL) was entitled "Making as if to stand behind one's words: a theory of intentional deception and lying".[1] His research interests are in moral and applied philosophy.

Ali began his green political career after working for the European Parliament in Luxembourg. He has taught at the University of Hertfordshire, Anglia Polytechnic University (now Anglia Ruskin University), City Lit, the Workers' Educational Association and modern philosophy at Birkbeck College.[3] He stood in the 2005, 2010 & 2015 general elections (for Brent East and then Brent Central),[4] in the 2012 London Assembly election (for Brent & Harrow),[5] and in the 2014 European Parliament election.[6] He is author of Why Vote Green (2010)[7] and editor of Why Vote Green 2015.[8]

On 29 June 2018, Ali announced he would stand in the 2018 Green Party of England and Wales leadership election.[9] In January 2009, in the same week as Holocaust Memorial Day, Ali had made a speech in which he was later accused of comparing Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to the Holocaust.[10] In an article published on the Left Foot Forward blog, the Campaign Against Antisemitism described his speech as anti-semitic and an “offensive rant”.[11] Ali described the accusation as a "gross fabrication", telling the Evening Standard that it was "designed to stifle legitimate criticism of the Israeli government".[12] The Green Party said that its initial handling of reports about Ali's speech in 2009 were inadequate and that it is seeking to revise procedures.[13] The Green Party later clarified that no formal complaint of anti-Semitism was received and condemned "the way in which the statements provided were used to fuel further stories and negative comment".[14] Ali came second in the election, receiving 1,466 votes (17.5% of the vote).[15]

Ali works in the Institute of Health Sciences Education at Queen Mary, University of London.[16]