No action by Lib Dems over David Ward MP… Again

The Liberal Democrats have again refused to discipline MP David Ward for referring to “genocide” in Palestine in a statement for Holocaust Memorial Day.

After attending a service in Bradford, the MP said: “It is imperative that we share the memory of the millions who have been murdered in the Holocaust and subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Palestine, Bosnia and Darfur.”

Community leaders reacted in disbelief, with the JLC’s Simon Johnson saying that his continued tolerance by the party “is causing many in the community to ask serious questions about their commitment to eliminating hatred”. Israeli embassy spokesman Yiftah Curiel said it was “shocking that even the Holocaust is fair game in attacking Israel,” while Board of Deputies vice-president Joanathan Arkush said Ward’s “Palestine genocide” remark was “repulsive”.

He added: “[Ward] is clearly unfit to serve as a MP. Sadly, the party have demonstrated no willingness to expel him.” A party spokesman said Ward “does not speak for the Liberal Democrats on this issue”.