Labour re-admit member who said ISIS should attack Israel
A former Labour candidate for Woking who was suspended for suggesting that ISIS should attack Israel has been re-admitted to the party and is now vice-chair of the constituency.
Vicki Kirby’s membership was put on-hold in 2014 after she posted a number of incendiary tweets about “the real oppressors” Israel, in which she said “Hitler now seems to be their teacher”.
At the time, Labour Friends of Israel welcomed her suspension, saying the tweets – in which Kirby called Hitler “the Zionist God” – were “utterly vile”.
During her online rant, Kirby said: “We invented Israel when saving them from Hitler, who now seems to be their teacher.” Later, she wrote: “I will never forget and I will make sure my kids teach their children how evil Israel is!”
In another post, she said: “Apparently you can ask IS/ISIS/ISIL questions on ask.fm. Anyone thought of asking them why they’re not attacking the real oppressors #Israel?”
A Labour spokesperson said: “Vicki Kirby was suspended from the Labour Party following comments on social media in 2014. Following her resignation as a Parliamentary candidate she received a warning from the NEC on her future conduct and the suspension was then lifted. If new evidence comes to light, the Labour Party will review that evidence and make sure the rules of the Party are upheld.”
Last week socialist Gerry Downing had his membership of the party revoked for the second time, after using a BBC TV appearance to lamblast “billionaire Zionist politicians” and “Israel’s heinous crimes”.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
