Disgraced ex-MP Chris Williamson stripped of his Westminster pass
The disgraced ex-Labour politician will be prevented from accessing parliament over concerns about his links to Iranian state television
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Disgraced ex- Labour MP Chris Williamson has been stripped of his Westminster pass over concerns about his links to Iranian state television.
Williamson, who previously led a campaign aimed at deselecting Jewish Labour MPs while being a staunch defender of Jeremy Corbyn, is prevented from accessing parliamenton account of his role as a host on Iranian state-owned news network Press TV,
A committee met earlier this week to discuss removing the former Derby North MPs pass, and has now decided to put a block on it.
Williamson had been free to use Westminister despite losing his seat as an independent at the 2019 election.
The notorious anti-Zionist activist said on Tuesday morning he had not yet been formally informed of the decision about his pass.
He claimed the “confected controversy” over his pass was an example of the “disturbing scale of censorship” and “breath-taking hypocrisy” of the British politics.
Williamson’s Twitter account was stated as being “Iran state-affiliated media” last year, and he has claimed Ukraine’s Jewish president, Volodymyr Zelensky, is “backed by literal Nazis.”
Before his exit from Labour, Williamson had said the party was “”too apologetic” over its attempt to tackle antisemitism.
Suspended by the party after a succession of scandals he eventually quit to stand in Derby North as an independent, but was trounced at the polls.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.