Labour leadership contender Jess Phillips has had to suspend one of her key aides for posting "completely unacceptable" anti-Israel tweets.

The Birmingham Yardley MP made the decision to suspend her constituency office manager, Salma Hamid, on Friday evening after the Mail on Sunday confronted her with a number of Ms Hamid’s tweets.

In the social media posts, Ms Hamid appears to have said there was “no difference” between Israel and Isis, also claiming that the Jewish State was “inflicting Holocaust conditions on Palestinians”.

In another tweet, Ms Hamid sought to distinguish between Israel and the Jewish people, saying they were “two totally different things – one is an apartheid nation and the other is a faith based on peace and love”.

In a statement published on Sunday morning, Ms Phillips said: “Yesterday evening I was shown some completely unacceptable messages posted by a member of my team prior to her employment with me.

“I have been clear from the outset that we need a zero tolerance approach to antisemitism in the party – and so the person involved was suspended with immediate effect.

“It is easy to call out and challenge our adversaries, it is far harder to do this when it is our friends and close colleagues. I am really sad that I’ve had to take this action against a hard working and valued member of staff.

“But we can’t have one rule for those we don’t like and another for those we do. I pledge to always take action quickly and effectively, without fear or favour.

“This is the right thing to do and the only way to start building a bridge again with the Jewish community.”

The MP added that she would not comment further “now that a disciplinary process is underway”.

Ms Phillips office told the Mail on Sunday that Ms Hamid did not wish to comment.