The politics is complex. Conservatives would like to attack Labour as being 'Islamist sympathisers'. It plays to Corbyn meeting Hamas and never condoning them. It plays to an element of the Labour party who in the back of their minds sympathise with Hamas. Or at least condemn Israel. This is a chink in Labours armour and the Tories will try to play it up and sow division.
But it can backfire. Remember Sunak was not elected leader initially. The die-hard Tories in their closeted commuter belts are essentially institutionally racist. Most don't even know it. They voted in Truss over Rishi, not because she was better at anything. It was obvious from the get-go how lame she was. But because of base human stereotyping, I am sad to say, they chose Truss over the more competent and capable Rishi. Now, Sunak can't be seen to be pro-Muslim as it plays too close to these deep-seated prejudices that the old and comfortable especially harbour (Conservative voters). So he is doing what he has probably done most of this life, trying to align himself with the establishment and away from the stereotypes that surround his identity. Sad indictment of the state of British politics and the news media. These are the things that capture attention.
