Labour by-election candidate apologises after 'liking' anti-semitic Facebook post
2 min read
The Labour candidate in the Peterborough by-election has been forced to apologise after it emerged she liked an anti-semitic post on Facebook earlier this year.
Lisa Forbes apologised "wholeheartedly" for not calling out the post, as well as another she commented on back in 2014, insisting she did not agree with the views expressed in the texts.
Investigative journalist Iggy Ostanin found Ms Forbes had liked a post in April claiming Theresa May had a “Zionist Slave Masters agenda”. The post included a video showing children praying in solidarity with the Christchurch attacks.
It was also discovered that Ms Forbes commented on a thread which claimed Isis was created and funded by the CIA and Mosad. She wrote: “I have enjoyed reading this thread so much.”
Ms Forbes said she was endorsing the video of children praying in the first post but not the views expressed in the text alongside it.
Labour argued she was commenting on the general thread in the second incident, which was about prejudice towards Muslims, rather than the specific comments about Mosad and the CIA.
She promised to deepen her understanding of anti-semitism so she can challenge opinions in future.
Ms Forbes said: “I apologise wholeheartedly for not calling out these posts. I liked a video of school children praying in solidarity with the Christchurch attacks, not the views expressed in the accompanying text. I am sorry.
“Anti-semitism is abhorrent and has no place in our society. Standing up against hatred toward one group of people must never be allowed to become hatred of another.
“Regardless of whether I am elected, I will deepen my understanding of anti-semitism, so I can act as an ally, challenging anti-semitism wherever it occurs.”
She made the apology after the Equalities and Human Rights Commission announced last week it was launching an investigation into anti-semitism within the Labour party.
Elsewhere, Labour executive committee member Pete Willsman was suspended from the party on Friday after he said Israel whipped up claims of anti-semitism against members.
Voters in Peterborough head to the polls on Thursday to elect a new MP, after booting out former Labour MP Fiona Onasanya, who was found guilty of lying over a speeding ticket.
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