Jacob Rees-Mogg promotes video of far-right party accused of ‘anti-Jewish hate’
The Tory MP shared on Sunday a video of a speech by the AfD party which has been accused of 'Holocaust relativism'
Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg has provoked outrage after he promoted a video of a German far-right party.
The Brexiteer shared the footage of a speech by Alice Weidel, the co-leader of the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, speaking in parliament on Sunday.
In the video, Weidel can be heard calling for EU reform and questioning Brussels’ Brexit negotiating tactics.
In the tweet sent on Sunday, Rees-Mogg added: “The AfD leader asks ‘Is it any wonder the British see bad faith behind every manoeuvre from Brussels?’”
The AfD are a German anti-immigration party, which supports a ban on religious circumcision and kosher slaughter.
They have previously been accused by the Central Council of Jews in Germany of “supporting anti-Jewish hate and Holocaust relativising or even denial.”
Rees-Mogg told LBC’s Nick Ferrari this morning: “No, I’m not supporting the AfD.
“This is a speech made in the Bundestag of real importance because it shows a German view of Brexit.
“It is saying to Germans, you’re paying more for this and Angela Merkel has tied herself in knots with the French to the disadvantage of the Germans.
“I think it’s important people know that this is a strand of German thinking.
“I don’t think retweeting is an endorsement of things that other people stand for. It’s just pointing out that there’s something interesting which is worth watching.”
A Board of Deputies spokesperson said: “Jacob Rees-Mogg was wrong to re-tweet a video promoting a German far-right party.
“We share the disquiet of the German Jewish community which has described the AFD as ‘a danger to Jewish life in Germany’.”
Mark Gardner, from the Community Security Trust, said: “British politicians should take their lead from the Central Council of Jews in Germany, which has steadfastly refused to treat the AfD as it does Germany’s other political parties.”
Labour MP David Lammy tweeted: “Jacob Rees-Mogg promoting Germany’s overtly racist party, AfD. Our country’s proudest moment was defeating the far-right.
“Now we are supposed to sit back while xenophobes, nativists, nationalists and isolationists do their best to tear Europe apart again. We must not let them win.”
Rees-Mogg has been approached for comment.
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