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Labour’s Lisa Forbes ‘sorry’ for anti-Semitic social media post likes

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Labour’s Lisa Forbes ‘sorry’ for anti-Semitic social media post likes

‘Anti-Semitism is becoming normal in this party’: Labour MPs voice dismay after Corbynite Lisa Forbes wins Peterborough by-election despite ‘liking’ social media posts about ‘Zionist Slave Masters’

  • Lisa Forbes ‘liked’ a claim that  Theresa May had a ‘Zionist Slave Masters agenda’
  • Ms Forbes won the Peterborough by-election for Labour by just 683 votes 
  • Other Labour MPs have voiced disquiet that anti-Semitism is being ‘normalised’ 

By James Tapsfield, Political Editor, For Mailonline and David Wilcock, Whitehall Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 22:15 EDT, 6 June 2019 | Updated: 05:29 EDT, 7 June 2019

Labour MPs voiced dismay about anti-Semitism being ‘normalised’ today after Corbynite Lisa Forbes won the Peterborough by-election.

Lisa Forbes sneaked home ahead of Nigel Farage‘s Brexit Party days after Jewish groups had called for her deselection as a candidate. 

She delivered another grovelling apology after her victory for appearing to endorse anti-Semitic material online, insisting: ‘I don’t have a bad bone in my body towards any race of people’.

But Labour MP Jess Phillips said that while she was glad the Brexit Party had been defeated in Peterborough ‘I cannot be gleeful or proud as I’d want to be because of how it shows that anti-Semitism is becoming normal in the party’.

The Birmingham Yardley MP said: ‘Lisa ignored and endorsed anti-Semitic things, I’ll take her explanation and apology at face value and look forward to her proving, as others have, that actions not excuses alone can heal.

‘But with every case the parties values chip away and our ability to stand up against hate erodes.’

Ilford North MP Wes Streeting said he had not campaigned in Peterborough since Ms Forbes’ social media activity came to light as he wanted to demonstrate a ‘zero tolerance’ approach. 

Lisa Forbes won the Peterborough by-election from Nigel Farage’s Brexit Party days after Jewish groups had called for her deselection as a candidate

Labour MP Jess Phillips said that while she was glad the Brexit Party had been defeated in Peterborough ‘I cannot be gleeful or proud as I’d want to be because of how it shows that anti-Semitism is becoming normal in the party’

Her win will see her join Jeremy Corbyn’s party in Westminster at a time when it remains engulfed in an anti-Semitism crisis.

Labour former minister Dame Margaret Hodge, who has clashed with Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism, wrote on Twitter: ‘Seriously mixed feelings about the Peterborough result. I never want to see Nigel Farage’s party in Parliament. 

‘But Lisa Forbes & the Labour Party have a lot to answer for. We must learn lessons & never have a repeat of this. Have formally raised concerns with party leadership.’

Labour MP John Mann said the anti-Semitism scandal was ‘costing us votes across the country’. 

He told Sky News: ‘This should have been sorted a long time ago. We will not win a General Election if anti-Semitism isn’t sorted – and we don’t deserve to’. 

Ms Forbes’ win will see her join Mr Corbyn‘s party in Westminster at a time when it remains engulfed in an anti-Semitism crisis. 

She said sorry for controversial actions on social media posts include one from April in which she ‘liked’ a claim that Prime Minister Theresa May had a ‘Zionist Slave Masters agenda’.

She also commented under a post whose author championed conspiracy theories that Islamic extremists were created by the CIA and Israel’s intelligence service Mossad writing: ‘I’ve enjoyed reading this so much.’ 

After her 683-vote victory last night Ms Forbes – who has already apologised for the posts – told Sky she had ‘no issue with any community’.

‘I think antisemitism is abhorrent,’ she said. 

‘I actually “liked” a video of children praying about the atrocities that had happened in New Zealand and I hadn’t paid much attention to the text above it.

‘I apologise for that and I’m really sorry and I just hope that people will understand that I don’t have a bad bone in my body towards any race of people and anti-Semitism is something that I condemn completely.’

However her victory reignited Labour’s civil war over anti-Semitism. 

 Jewish groups and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt tore into the party and leader Jeremy Corbyn earlier this week demanding she be removed as a candidate.

The Jewish Labour Movement, which is affiliated to the party, said it would not campaign for Ms Forbes in Peterborough.

A spokeswoman said: ‘To do so would be inconsistent with the views of our members, who have understandably and clearly called for a culture of zero tolerance to anti-Semitism within the Labour Party.’ 

Last month Labour faced one of the most shameful days in its history yesterday after a formal inquiry was launched into whether it has victimised Jews.

In a potentially explosive intervention, the equalities watchdog said it ‘suspects’ the party has committed ‘unlawful acts’ in its handling of the anti-Semitism crisis.

Only once before has the Equality and Human Rights Commission launched a formal inquiry into a political party – and that was the far-Right BNP. 

The EHRC will investigate whether Mr Corbyn’s party has ‘unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish’ – and whether senior staff responded properly to anti-Semitism allegations against its members.

If Labour fails to accept its findings, it could be taken to court and be fined.

The party rejected claims it was institutionally racist. 

Last week an ally of Jeremy Corbyn was suspended today after being recorded claiming the Israeli embassy and 68 rabbis in London are behind a conspiracy to engulf Labour and its leader with anti-Semitism claims.

Peter Willsman, a member of Labour’s ruling NEC executivec ommittee, claimed that Israel have planted agents in the party with the purpose of damaging its reputation.  

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