Politics
Labour suspends candidate who ‘downplayed’ antisemitism in the party under Corbyn
Rachel Reeves: no place in Labour for people who don’t share our values
June 19, 2024 15:59
Rachel Reeves: no place in Labour for people who don’t share our values
June 19, 2024 15:59The Labour Party has suspended a parliamentary candidate who allegedly downplayed antisemitism in the party under Jeremy Corbyn and shared pro-Putin content.
Andy Brown, who is contesting the Scottish constituency of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, shared a post on social media in April 2018 which said that "the real issue... is that right-wing Jews in the Labour Party and outside the party object to the fact that Jeremy Corbyn is a consistent supporter of Palestinian rights".
According to the Press and Journal, which first revealed the story, in the same month Brown also shared a link to an article from Russian state broadcaster RT that questioned Russia’s role in the Sailsbury poisonings. It suggested that the nerve agent, Novichok, used to attempt to kill Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia did not come from Russia.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said that “Andy Brown has been administratively suspended from the Labour Party pending investigation.
“We have taken the decision to withdraw support from a parliamentary candidate during a general election.
“Anas Sarwar and Keir Starmer have changed the Labour Party and said that every candidate and MP would operate to the highest standards. This action shows that they meant it.”
Labour’s Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves told Sky News that “there is no place in the Labour Party for people who don't share our values … that is why as soon as these postings came to light, we've got rid of him.”
The Jewish Labour Movement posted on X that “as well as spreading pro-Putin propaganda, this candidate downplayed and denied the problem of antisemitism in Labour under Corbyn. We applaud Scottish Labour and Anas Sarwar for taking the bold and principled decision to withdraw support from him and his campaign.”
Andy Brown will still appear as the Labour candidate on the ballot paper in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East as the official deadline for removing or replacing candidates was 7 June.
He has been contacted for comment.