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Labour MP Stephen Twigg fails to condemn candidate's shocking antisemitic statements

Stephen Twigg won't condemn candidate who is standing in his constituency, though his colleagues do

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Liverpool MP Stephen Twigg has refused to condemn remarks made by a Labour member who was due to run as the party’s candidate in the city’s council elections in his West Derby constituency.

Mr Twigg — a former chair of the Labour Friends of Israel group — told the JC he would not be commenting on alleged antisemitic and homophobic remarks made by Liam Moore until an investigation by Labour had been completed.

Mr Moore was last week revealed to have posted a number of anti-Jewish and anti-Zionist messages over a period of years, including a claim that “Rothchilds Zionist run Israel and world governments, don’t give a toss about ordinary Jew [sic], Jesus is coming back his people.”

Last Friday, the Liverpool West Derby constituency Labour Party tweeted that Mr Moore, an evangelical vicar, had offered his resignation — but that it had been “unanimously” refused by members of the party’s Norris Green & Croxteth branch.

The posting was later removed after it received widespread condemnation on social media. Mr Twigg told the JC he would not comment “at this stage” on Mr Moore’s conduct.

Shortly after Mr Moore’s comments were first revealed, Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North, tweeted: “How was this person ever selected?”

Ian Austin, MP for Dudley North, said: “Someone with views like this should not even be in the Labour Party, let alone be selected as a candidate and the party and the leadership need to deal with it immediately.”

Labour sources confirmed on Wednesday that the party was investigating Mr Moore over his remarks — and that he was not standing as a candidate in the Liverpool City Council election.

Meanwhile it also emerged that Labour allowed a member who was being investigated for antisemitism to be a delegate at its recent conference.

Kayla Bibby, 33, who represented the Liverpool Riverside constituency at the conference in September, posted on Facebook an image of the Statue of Liberty being smothered by an alien creature bearing the Star of David.

According to Labour, she has since been found “guilty” and will receive training about antisemitism.

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