Pressure growing on Leonard to end silence on anti-Semitism

28 Jul 2018

Pressure is growing on Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard to end his silence after another one of his councillors was embroiled in a row over anti-Semitism.

Scottish Labour councillor Mary Lockhart claimed that Jewish newspapers that criticised her party’s position on anti-Semitism could be working on behalf of Mossad.

It came after Dundee councillor George McIrvine was criticised for sharing a post on Facebook that made reference to the Rothschild banking dynasty.

It’s the latest in a series of rows involving the Labour party, who are still refusing to accept the International Holocaust’s Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism and all the accompanying examples in full and without amendment.

Scottish Conservative MP Paul Masterton has called on Richard Leonard to finally end his silence on the abuse emanating from his party towards Jewish people.

Scottish Conservative MP for East Renfrewshire, Paul Masterton said:

“The anti-Semitic rhetoric that has been coming from the Scottish Labour party has been appalling, yet Richard Leonard has refused to break his silence.

“This week we once again had one of his councillors pedalling ignorant and horrific views on Jewish people, revealing the deep rooted problems that Scottish Labour have on this issue.

“And yet despite this we have seen no action from Richard Leonard to show that he is either taking these issues seriously, or that he is trying to rid his party of these disgusting views.

“Every day that goes by without Leonard speaking out against this abuse is another day that this shameful episode will continue to dog his party.

“For the sake of the Jewish community and his party, Richard Leonard must come out of hiding and tackle this problem head on.”