Long-Bailey loses job after sharing article ‘containing anti-Semitic conspiracy’
MP SACKED AS SHADOW EDUCATION SECRETARY
MP Rebecca Long-Bailey has been sacked as shadow education secretary.
A spokesman for Sir Keir Starmer said in a statement that the Labour leader has asked the Salford and Eccles MP to step down from the shadow cabinet.
He said an article she shared on social media, a newspaper interview with Salford actress Maxine Peake, ‘contained an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.’
Ms Long-Bailey, writing on Twitter after the news was confirmed, said her retweet was ‘in no way’ an intention to endorse every part of that article.
She said she had asked to discuss the matter further with the Labour leader, ‘but sadly he had already made his decision.’
A spokesman for Sir Keir said: “Keir Starmer asked Rebecca Long-Bailey to step down from the Shadow Cabinet.
“The article Rebecca shared earlier today contained an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory.
“As leader of the Labour Party, Keir has been clear that restoring trust with the Jewish community is a number one priority.
“Anti-Semitism takes many different forms and it is important that we all are vigilant against it.”
Ms Long-Bailey had shared an interview from Ms Peake, tweeting: “Maxine Peake is an absolute diamond.”
She subsequently wrote: “I retweeted Maxine Peake’s article because of her significant achievements and because the thrust of her argument is to stay in the Labour Party. It wasn’t intended to be an endorsement of all aspects of the article.”
In the interview, the actress claims that US police learnt the practice of kneeling on people’s necks ‘from seminars with Israeli secret services.’
In a Twitter thread published after the news broke, Ms Long-Bailey said: “I retweeted an interview that my constituent and stalwart Labour Party supporter Maxine Peake gave to the Independent.
“Its main thrust was anger with the Conservative government’s handling of the current emergency and a call for Labour Party unity.
“These sentiments are shared by everyone in our movement and millions of people in our country.
“I learned that many people were concerned by references to international sharing of training and restraint techniques between police and security forces.
“In no way was my re-tweet an intention to endorse every part of that article.
“I wished to acknowledge these concerns and duly issued a clarification of my re-tweet, with the wording agreed in advance by the Labour Party Leader’s Office, but after posting I was subsequently instructed to take both this agreed clarification and my original re-tweet down.
“I could not do this in good conscience without the issuing of a press statement of clarification.
“I had asked to discuss these matters with Keir before agreeing what further action to take, but sadly he had already made his decision.
“I am proud of the policies we have developed within the party from our Green Industrial Revolution to a National Education Service and I will never stop working for the change our communities need to see.
“I am clear that I shall continue to support the Labour Party in Parliament under Keir Starmer’s leadership, to represent the people of Salford and Eccles and work towards a more equal, peaceful and sustainable world.”