Labour’s equalities secretary Anneliese Dodds campaigned for an MP who suggested a group of anti-Corbyn politicians may have been funded by Israel.

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Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn (Photo: Getty Images)

The JC has obtained a photo of Ms Dodds smiling alongside controversial hard-left politician Ruth George, then MP for High Peaks, taken in December just ahead of the 2019 general election.

Ms Dodds, who was serving as shadow financial secretary to the Treasury at the time, has played a key role in Sir Keir Starmer’s relaunch of Labour following the party’s antisemitism crisis under Jeremy Corbyn.

In February 2019, Ms George was forced to apologise for suggesting that seven Labour MPs who defected to the Independent Group may have been “financially backed” by Israel.

Ms George had been asked to comment on the actions of a local Labour councillor, Nick Longos, who had shared a post on social media showing a photograph of the seven MPs alongside a comment that their new party had been registered as a private company rather than a political party.

The post added: “Therefore not subject to electoral law rules requiring them to declare financial backers.”

Mr Longos subsequently liked a comment on the post which simply said “Israelis”.

Ms George was asked to comment on “the councillor loving a post on his Facebook that called the… independent [MPs] Israelis”.

In her response, Ms George wrote that “the comment appears not to refer to the independent MPs but to their financial backers”.

She added: “It’s important for democracy to know the financial backers for any political group or policy.”

The Board of Deputies responded at the time: “What on Earth does Ruth George MP think she is saying?

“That the departure of seven previously Labour MPs could be funded by Israel? Jews are rightly concerned when elected representatives start indulging conspiracy theories and tropes.”

Months later, on 6 December 2019, with the general election six days away, Ms George was joined by Ms Dodds, whom she has described as “a friend and former housemate”, in a push for votes in her constituency.

That day in a social media post Ms George wrote:

“1pm meeting my lovely friend Anneliese Dodds from the Shadow Treasury Team, fresh from her excellent appearance on Newsnight, speaking with residents on Harpur Hill and getting thoroughly soaked!”

Ms George, who had been elected in 2017, lost her seat to Conservative Robert Largan by just 590 votes.

Since May 2021, Ms George has been deputy leader of Derbyshire County Council’s Labour group and has ruled out a return to Westminster.

When asked if Labour officials had advised Ms George not to stand for parliamentary selection, a Labour spokesperson said:

“It is right that prospective Labour MPs are expected to uphold the highest standards and under Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership that is not going to change.”

Following the uproar about her comments in 2019, Ms George said: “I unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologise. I had no intention of invoking a conspiracy theory and I am deeply sorry.”

Ms George told the JC she had not been subject to any Labour disciplinary procedures.

Ms Dodds was approached for comment.