closeicon
News

Labour MP Kate Osamor expresses 'solidarity' with activist Marc Wadsworth, expelled over antisemitism row

She told him: 'You have personally been through a very difficult time'

articlemain

A Labour MP has expressed "solidarity" with a party activist who was expelled after launching a verbal attack on a Jewish MP at the launch of a party report into antisemitism.

Kate Osamor, who quit as shadow international development secretary in December over her son's drug conviction, was on a panel at the Media Democracy Festival event in London when Marc Wadsworth asked a question from the audience, saying he had been the victim of "fake news" over his expulsion.

"I send my solidarity to you, because you have personally been through a very difficult time," she told him, according to the Times.

Mr Wadsworth later tweeted he was "heartened" to receive her message.

Mr Wadsworth was expelled after he disrupted the launch of the Chakrabarti report in June 2016.

He shouted that Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth was working "hand-in-hand with the right-wing media" after a Telegraph journalist handed her a copy of the press release for the event.

Mr Wadsworth was expelled in April 2018 and claimed he was the victim of a disciplinary process that was "not fit for purpose".

Ms Osamor quit her shadow cabinet role in December over allegations she misled the public when she claimed she did not know of the drug conviction of her son, who worked in her office as a senior communications officer.

Share via

Want more from the JC?

To continue reading, we just need a few details...

Want more from
the JC?

To continue reading, we just
need a few details...

Get the best news and views from across the Jewish world Get subscriber-only offers from our partners Subscribe to get access to our e-paper and archive