Controversial Liberal Democrat MP David Ward is employing a man who has also worked as the media spokesman for the virulently anti-Israel organisation, Muslim Public Affairs Committee UK, it can be revealed.
Raza Nadim — who in an email exchange said he had worked as a constituency assistant for Mr Ward for “about a year” — described himself on Twitter as a “political activist and MPACUK media spokesman who believes in equality and justice for all. Actively campaigns against Islamophobia & Zionism as part of MPACUK”.
A clip on YouTube shows him campaigning on behalf of Aafia Siddiqui, a woman who is two years into her 86- year sentence in the United States for attempted murder and assault of US forces in Afghanistan.
At her trial, she requested that no Jews be allowed on the jury.
MPACUK is one of only five groups to be banned from university campuses by the National Union of Students. Its co-founder Asghar Bukhari donated money to Holocaust denier David Irving.
MPAC’s anti-Zionism is a disgraceful slander
Mr Nadim’s Facebook page, where he goes by the name “Raza OneFree-Ummah”, is almost entirely dedicated to the group.
Mr Ward MP had the party whip withdrawn from him by deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg for comments in which he referred to atrocities committed against Palestinians by “the Jews”. He was readmitted to the party last month.
The Community Security Trust, which monitors antisemitism, called Mr Nadim’s employment by the MP “shocking”.
Spokesman Mark Gardner said: “It casts David Ward's past behaviour in an even worse light. MPAC’s so-called anti-Zionism is a disgraceful slander upon the majority of British Jews.”
Mr Ward was unavailable for comment. According to his constituency office, Mr Nadim was “currently on annual leave” and unavailable for comment.
