Former Labour Party adviser Imran Ahmed of the Centre for Countering Digital Hate was one of five Europeans targeted by the US State Department overnight with visa sanctions
US President Donald Trump’s administration has been accused of an “authoritarian attack” with visa sanctions on five Europeans – including an ex-Labour adviser.
Imran Ahmed – a friend of Keir Starmer’s top adviser in No10, Morgan McSweeney – was last night targeted by the US over his work with the Centre of Countering Digital Hate (CDHC). The former Labour Party adviser from Manchester, is the chief executive of the CCDH, which previously listed Mr McSweeney as a director until his resignation when Mr Starmer became Labour leader in April 2020.
US Under-Secretary of State Sarah Rodgers claimed on X, CCDH “supports the UK’s Online Safety Act and EU’s Digital Services Act to expand censorship in Europe and around the world“.
Mr Ahmed is one of five Europeans accused by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio of leading “efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose”. In a statement he said they will be “generally barred from entering the United States”.
READ MORE: Donald Trump rape claims are ‘untrue’ says US Department of JusticeREAD MORE: Trump ‘travelled on Epstein jet ‘many more times than reported’ leaked email says
Mr Rubio added: “Further, based on the foreign policy determination, the Department of Homeland Security can initiate removal proceedings against certain individuals pursuant to INA section 237(a)(4)(C), which renders such individuals deportable. “
Mr Ahmed previously told the Triggernometry podcast that the origin of CCDH came while working as an adviser to Labour MP Hilary Benn, who was Shadow Foreign Secretary at the time. He has said he was inspired to start the organisation after seeing the rise of antisemitism on the left in the UK and the murder of his colleague, Jo Cox MP, by a white supremacist.
Elon Musk also declared “war” on the CCDH in October 2024, branding it a “criminal organisation”. At the time, Mr Ahmed told the Guardian they were going to “tirelessly” continue their work. CCDH’s website pledges to protect human rights and civil liberties online, adding: “Social media companies erode basic human rights and civil liberties by enabling the spread of online hate and disinformation.
“Social media companies deny the problem, deflect the blame, and delay taking responsibility. The Center for Countering Digital Hate holds them accountable and responsible for their business choices by highlighting their failures, educating the public, and advocating change from platforms and governments to protect our communities.”
Clare Melford, another British-based executive who runs the Global Disinformation Index (GDI), was also identified as one of the five Europeans who will be barred from entering the US. A GDI spokesperson told The Mirror: “The visa sanctions announced today are an authoritarian attack on free speech and an egregious act of government censorship.
“The Trump Administration is, once again, using the full weight of the federal government to intimidate, censor, and silence voices they disagree with. Their actions today are immoral, unlawful, and un-American. And, it must be said, deeply ironic. Only the bullies and petty fascists of the Trump administration could miss the irony of decrying ‘speech suppression’ while using state power to silence critics engaging in protected speech.
“GDI exists so that the public can understand and evaluate the information they find online. We fight speech with more speech. If only the federal government were brave enough to do the same.”
Calum Miller, the Liberal Democrats Foreign Affairs Spokesperson, urged the UK government to “stand up for its citizens, not stay silent” on the sanctions.
A UK Government spokesperson: “The UK is fully committed to upholding the right to free speech. While every country has the right to set its own visa rules, we support the laws and institutions which are working to keep the Internet free from the most harmful content.
“Social media platforms should not be used to disseminate child sex abuse material, incite hatred and violence, or spread fake information and videos for that purpose.”