Amanda Bowman, a vice president for the Board, urged political parties to 'use the full range of disciplinary measures as appropriate... up to and including suspension of the whip'
December 17, 2019 15:06
The Board of Deputies has urged political parties to take action against newly-elected MPs who have been accused of making anti-Jewish comments.
A number of MPs accused of antisemitism have been returned to Parliament, including a pair of Conservatives in seats previously held by Labour.
Amanda Bowman, a vice president for the Board, said: “We view with great concern the past conduct of a number of newly elected members of the House of Commons.
“We would ask all the political parties in question to treat these cases with the utmost seriousness, and use the full range of disciplinary measures as appropriate, from training on antisemitism and the pernicious use of antisemitic tropes up to and including suspension of the whip.”
Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said on Sunday that accusations against new Tory MP Sally-Ann Hart were “cause for concern”, pledging an independent investigation would take place.
Ms Hart, who holds Amber Rudd’s former Hastings and Rye seat, shared a video implying billionaire investor and philanthropist George Soros controlled the European Union.
She has also been accused of liking a comment left underneath the video which read “Ein Reich” – a Nazi slogan.
Ms Hart courted controversy in recent weeks for a separate faux pas when she told an election hustings that people with learning disabilities should be paid less than the minimum wage because they “don’t understand money”.
Another new Tory MP, Lee Anderson is accused of being an active member of a Facebook group which included conspiracy theories about Mr Soros, and was used by supporters of Tommy Robinson.
In Labour, Zarah Sultana was elected in Coventry South, despite the JC reporting allegations she taunted a National Union of Students vice president that he did not “serve Israel as well as you would have liked”.
Ms Sultana was also accused of pledging to celebrate the deaths of Benjamin Netanyahu and Tony Blair.
In November it was revealed that Apsana Begum, the new MP in Poplar and Limehouse, had shared a post suggesting Saudi Arabia’s leaders were “inspired by their Zionist masters”.
Claudia Webbe, who won the election in Leicester East, defended Ken Livingstone after he compared a Jewish journalist to a concentration camp guard, while new Ilford South MP Sam Tarry said that antisemitism claims had been exploited by critics of Jeremy Corbyn.
Neale Hanvey was elected in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath – Gordon Brown’s old seat – after being suspended by the SNP over an article that depicted George Soros as a puppeteer and Mr Hanvey posted message that, he later admitted, "drew parallels between the treatment of Palestinians and the unconscionable treatment of Jews in Europe during WW2”.
Former MP Chris Williamson, who was suspended from Labour twice for repeated interventions in the debate over Labour antisemitism, failed in his bid to be re-elected to his Derby North seat, winning just 635 votes.
Lisa Forbes, who served as Peterborough MP from June until November despite revelations that she had liked a social media post which said Theresa May has a “Zionist Slave Master’s agenda, lost to the Conservatives by 2,500 votes.
A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “These matters are being investigated. Discrimination or abuse of any kind is wrong, and the Conservative Party takes decisive action to deal with any incidents of hatred, abuse or intimidation.
"We are committed to stamping out the scourge of anti-Semitism in our society and supporting our Jewish community.
“Our complaints process is rightly a confidential one but there are a wide range of sanctions to challenge and change behaviour, including conditions to undertake training, periods of suspension and expulsion, and these are applied on a case-by-case basis.”
Ms Begum claimed she shared the article because she "was concerned with the treatment of pilgrims who were being harassed in the Mecca Grand Mosque".
She added: The person who posted the article used unacceptable language. I only intended to share the article, not the unacceptable comment from the person who posted it.
"I sincerely and unreservedly apologise for this genuine accident and for the hurt and offence that has been caused by this."
She added she was "committed to working to fight antisemitism both inside the Labour Party and in wider society including by supporting efforts to raise awareness about how antisemitism is often cloaked in rhetoric about Zionism and how Zionist is sometimes used as a derogatory code-word for Jewish people.
"Since I became aware of this, I have not shared such language as I understand the hurt this can cause."
Ms Sultana said: "I am sincerely sorry that I posted this offensive comment a number of years ago. The person I was speaking about was not Jewish and I did not realise that this could still play into a harmful trope. I was immature and did not know better and I would not use such language now.
"Through my political activism, I have been on a journey which has included working closely with Jewish comrades who have taught me about the language and history of antisemitism.
"I am extremely grateful to those who have helped educate me so far and I sincerely hope that I can work with, and more importantly learn from, the Jewish community in the future. My mind and heart are entirely open to learning from those who experience antisemitism.
"I will always stand in steadfast and resolute solidarity with the Jewish community against the oppression they face."
