New Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey has questioned the effectiveness of the party’s vetting processes after an antisemitism scandal earlier this month.
Speaking at a Board of Deputies event at the party’s annual conference on Sunday, Sir Ed said he was “furious” Greta Sidhu-Robb was shortlisted as a candidate for Mayor of London.
Ms Sidhu-Robb was suspended earlier this month after video footage showed how she had once urged voters not to back the Labour candidate Jack Straw in Blackburn, where she was standing for the Conservative party, because he was “a Jew.”
During the online event Sir Ed said of the Lib Dem’s failure detect the comments, made in 1997: “I was furious, furious.
“The vetting system was completely flawed - at least it was in this case.
“I am determined we don’t make that mistake again.
“This particular individual had also said two other things, unrelated to antisemitism, that should have been found by the vetting process.
“It cannot happen again. People know my feelings.”
Sir Ed also expressed support for the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance) definition of antisemitism being included in online harms legislation.
“We have long argued that online harms legislation should include clear definitions…and if you’re talking clear definitions, to make sure people know what is acceptable and what isn’t, it makes sense for the IHRA definition to be part of that”, the Liberal Democrat leader said.
He was speaking at a party conference fringe event co-hosted by Liberal Democrat Friends of Israel (LDFI) chair Gavin Stollar.
On the LibDem position on foreign policy issues such as Israel, Sir Ed said he wanted “understanding...rather than where you come to it with prejudice.“
He pointed to the appointment of Laila Moran as the party’s shadow foreign minister as a positive step in developing LibDem Middle East policy.
He said she “does know a lot about this.”
He added: ”She is half Palestinian but anyone who has spoken to her will know she is very balanced on this issue.”
Sir Ed’s appearance came ahead of his official conference speech on Monday. The Liberal Democrats, realising that conference scheduling meant the Leader’s Speech would be taking place on Yom Kippur, asked LDFI and the Board to work out an alternative which would allow members of the Jewish community to hear from him.
