Tory calls for pro-Israel MPs to be ‘flushed out’
THE CONSERVATIVE Party is investigating former MP Sir Alan Duncan after he said pro-Israel members of government should be “flushed out” and accused several British politicians of dual loyalties to Israel.
The investigation is expected to take several weeks. If it is found that Sir Alan has breached the Conservatives’ Code of Conduct, he could face expulsion from the party.
Speaking on LBC on Thursday morning, the former Tory MP for Rutland and Melton took aim at the Conservative Friends of Israel and said the group “has been doing the bidding of Netanyahu, bypassing all proper processes of government to exercise undue influence at the top of government”. Several government figures had been “exercising the interests of another country”, he added.
Sir Alan, who previously served as vicechair of the Conservative Party, attacked CFI’s honorary president, Lord Polak,
who is Jewish, and its parliamentary chair, Lord Pickles, who is not Jewish. Alan called the pair “the Laurel and Hardy who should be pushed out together.”
Tory MP Andrew Percy said: “Alan Duncan is a ridiculous character whose ramblings would be laughable if they were not so dangerous. At a time of record antisemitism in the UK, to pull out a Jewish parliamentarian and accuse him of pushing the interests of Israel, not only plays into antisemitic tropes it risks fuelling further Jew hate on our streets.”
Lord Pickles said: “Sir Alan’s views are odd and unwise in equal measure”.
The Jewish Leadership Council accused Alan of sharing “antisemitic tropes” and the Board of Deputies called his comments “disgraceful”.
A spokesperson for CFI said: “CFI is not affiliated to any political party in Israel. We enjoy cordial relations across the political spectrum in Israel. We support the Conservative Government in its aim of a two-state solution and a peaceful resolution in the Middle East conflict.”