Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Anti-austerity re-tweet slammed
Councillor accused of political point scoring Political attack deemed ‘vile’ and ‘disgusting’ Hoping for quick reSoluTion
A Labour city councillor has been accused of using the Holocaust to score political points after re-tweeting an image comparing the Tories’ austerity measures to the mass genocide of Jews.
Newly- elected Bernadette Fisher shared the photoshopped picture on Sunday, showing Conservative political strategist Lynton Crosby outside the gates of concentration camp Auschwitz.
In it he is shown on a mobile phone, mocked up as saying: “Camer-un. It’s Lynton. I’m in Poland. I’ve just had a great idea on how to reduce the welfare budget. Now hear me out...”
The anti-austerity tweet was posted by Kim Jong Camer-Un, a parody account comparing Prime Minister David Cameron to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
At least 1.1 million prisoners died at Auschwitz, the infamous Nazi death camp which formed part of Hitler’s final solution to exterminate Jews.
Cllr Fisher’s re- tweet was Canterbury Conservative Association chairman Cllr Neil Baker branded the tweet “vile”.
He said: “I am disappointed by a vile and disgraceful comparison of the Conservative government’s policies to those enacted by Nazi Germany during the darkest moments of our history, when millions were sent to death for no other reason than who they were.
“I have full faith in the internal process of the local Labour Party and I am sure attacked by political website Guido Fawkes and sparked criticism from social media users.
But she told the Gazette: “They are trying to make a big thing of it, but I am confident of the morality behind my decision to re-tweet it.
“I am not intending to offend, I am intending to make a political point. I feel very strongly about this and I think it’s not good enough that all we are doing is dealing with the deficit.
“The danger is that you systematically destroy those things that make us so proud.
“I have all kinds of people tweeting back and they are all on the right. Whoever they are, they are doing it for a political reason.
“They are doing it to have a go at a Labour councillor and that’s what happens when you they will take whatever action is needed to ensure residents know their councillors will do their best to serve them, rather than sling outrageous remakes around which offend so many people.
“Political attacks come with the position, rightly or wrongly, but using the genocide of millions to make a point is so disgusting and outrageous.
“I am sure people who support any of the political parities, or none, will be hoping for a quick resolution.” are doing a tweet and put yourself out there.”
Cllr Fisher, who represents Gorrell Ward in Whitstable, later tweeted to say sorry, writing: “I apologise for any offence caused by my previous re-tweets.”
University of Kent student Samuel Betz – a failed city council candidate for the Conservatives – was among those who criticised Cllr Fisher for re-tweeting the image.
He said: “I think it’s disgusting. It is beyond repair to try to use the Holocaust to score political points. It’s outrageous. I was speechless when I saw it.”
‘I am not intending to offend, I am intending to make a political point’
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