Tory council candidate suspended for remark about Ed Miliband ‘The Jew’
Community leaders have welcomed the Tory party’s decision to suspend a council candidate after Jewish News revealed she wrote she would never support “the Jew” Ed Miliband.
Gulzabeen Afsar, who was standing in Derby, made the remarks in a Facebook exchange on Saturday.
She wrote: “Just can’t take Mr Ed Miiband seriously!! DC has what it takes to be the future PM.”
When another user suggested she should show some respect “for the future PM”, Afsar replied: “Nah bro! never ever will I drop that low and support the al yahud [Arabic for Jew] lol.”
The Conservative’s initial condemnation and Afsar’s apology was described as “insufficient” by the Jewish leadership council but within hours it was announced Afar had been suspended from the party.
Welcoming the move, the JLC – which first uncovered the post – tweeted: “It is important that this election is contested fairly and with decency. such prejudiced remarks have no place in British politics.”
It marked the first time Miliband’s religion had been raised by a candidate seeking office during this election campaign.
Philip Hickson, chairman of the local Conservative association, said: “There is no place in the Conservative Party for these comments or attitudes either in Derby or anywhere else. The comment was offensive and totally unacceptable and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.”
The CST’s Mark Gardner said ahead of the announcement: “She knew exactly what she was saying and thought it funny. It was all public on Facebook, making her doubly stupid.”
A spokesman for Derby Labour Party said earlier: “With anti-semitism on the rise across Europe it is abhorrent and terrifying that a prospective Conservative politician would say something like this.
“Derby Conservatives should launch an immediate investigation into this incident and take the appropriate action. Derby must be free from prejudice, especially from those seeking elected office.”
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