Labour councillor suspended over Rothschild social media post
Anne Pissaridou under investigation by party over alleged antisemitic article from 2016 months after another official stepped down
A councillor in Brighton has been suspended by Labour over allegedly antisemitic social media posts.
Anne Pissaridou is under investigation by the party after it emerged she shared an article from a conspiracy theory website in 2016.
The article, posted from ‘The Free Thought Project’ site, pictures Jacob Rothschild and refers to the collapse of the banking system, and the need to stockpile food.
A Labour spokesperson told Jewish News it “takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”
It said it could not comment on individual cases but confirmed she is administratively suspended pending an investigation, after being reported to the compliance unit last week.
The party will also reportedly look into an article she shared from the site ‘Vox Political Online’ in 2018, claiming “pro-Israel propagandists have ‘taken out contract’ to stop Jeremy Corbyn being elected.”
Labour won 20 of the 54 seats on Brighton and Hove City Council in May last year, just one more than the Greens.
Pissaridou, who was chair of the council’s environment, transport and sustainability committee, told the Guardian in response to her suspension, she was “deeply sorry”, for distress caused to the community.
She told the publication: “I do not seek to excuse my mistake. I deeply regret not properly reading information before sharing such hurtful links.”
Her suspension comes after fellow councillor Nichole Brennan stepped down in March, over pictures of her protesting against the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.
Fiona Sharpe, spokesman for the Labour Against Antisemitism group, said welcomed the action “on the proviso that it swiftly leads to her expulsion”, accusing the Brighton party of having a “serious issue with antisemitism”.
Anne Pissaridou has been approached for comment.
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