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Labour MP under fire over homophobic comments is ‘far-left Israel obsessive’

Sheffield Hallam MP, Jared O’Mara who unseated the Lib Dems' Nick Clegg at the last election, has never asked a question relating to his local constituency

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A Labour MP who was forced to resign from Parliament’s Women and Equalities Select Committee over misogynistic and homophobic comments appears to have only ever tabled three questions since he was elected to the Commons in June – and all were on Israel.

Jared O’Mara – who was elected as MP for Sheffield Hallam at the general election after defeating former Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg -  has submitted three questions, on the UK’s arms trade to Israel, the government’s policy on the Palestinians’ right of return, and a further question about the Balfour Centenary commemorations.

Records show Mr O’Mara has failed to ask a single question or speak in Parliament on any local issue affecting those who voted for him in June.

One online critic labelled the disgraced MP a “far-left Israel obsessive”.

A further photograph showed Mr O’Mara, 36, in the Commons at a meeting with representatives of the Palestine Return Centre who said they had briefed the MP “about the plight of the Palestinian people”.

Mr O’Mara has caused outrage over a series of posts he made on music websites in 2002 and 2004 when he stood for election to Sheffield City Council.

In posts he described gay men as “fudge packers” and said overweight people did not “deserve our respect.”

He also said it would be “quite funny” if Jamie Cullum was “sodomised with his own piano”.

The MP initially apologised for “any offence caused” and issued a further statement saying he was “deeply ashamed” at the remarks and resigned from the select committee.

Labour has been urged to suspend Mr O’Mara.

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