The co-chair of the Manchester Labour Students group has been forced to resign over a series of antisemitic and homophobic messages he posted on social media.
Tayyib Nawaz, a Manchester Metropolitan University psychology student, stood down from his position over a series of messages written on Twitter – including one which alleged there were “150,000 Jewish SS who personally were involved in the holocaust” and another claiming “Hitler was Jewish himself”.
Leoni Benabú Morales, Manchester Jewish Society president, said: “Claiming that Hitler himself is Jewish and comparing Israel to Nazi Germany is an insult and should not be tolerated from anyone, much less someone who is meant to represent our students.”
In a tweet on April 1, 2016, Mr Nawaz, who has expressed support for Jeremy Corbyn and Momentum on his social media, wrote: “The same victims of the Holocaust are now murdering and ethnically cleansing Palestinians…The irony.”
In another message he appears to compare Israel to Daesh terrorists, stating: “ISIS is not a democratic organisation like Israel but both murder civilians and claim their authority is from God.”
In another, Mr Nawaz wrote: “Zionism is scum, even Einstein was against the Zionist terrorism which pressured the creation of Israel.”
Mr Nawaz said he would “slap” his child if they supported gay rights.
At a meeting of the Labour student group on Monday, a motion calling for his resignation was unanimously backed by the committee.
Mr Nawaz resigned yesterday.
Zak Deakin, outgoing co-chair of the Labour group, told student paper The Mancunion: “Tayyib’s views have no place in the Labour Party and the fact that they came from an individual who holds an elected role within our movement makes it even more sickening.”
Oxford University Labour Students were at the centre of a major scandal surrounding allegations of antisemitism and bullying amongst senior members last year.
The JC revealed earlier this year how the Unite union was at the centre of a decision to allow Oxford Labour club members to escape disciplinary action despite a party recommendation to issue at least two males with warnings.
A spokesperson for the Union of Jewish Students said the organisation had been "seriously concerned to see the numerous antisemitic social media posts" of Mr Nawaz, and "welcomed" his resignation.
"Comments using antisemitic tropes, Holocaust inversion and offensive language have no place in campus discussions and certainly not in in the Labour Party, which purports to be a party of anti-racism in all forms", the spokesperson said.
"UJS will continue to work closely with Labour Students on a national basis as well as with individual Labour clubs, and will be looking to carry on our training programme of Combatting Antisemitism and Understanding Jewish Students alongside Labour Students and the Jewish Labour Movement.”
