Labour MP posts photograph of herself with notorious anti-Zionist activist in Westminster
Rupa Huq, the MP for Ealing Central, tweets photograph of herself with Hilary Wise, who previously claimed there was an 'orchestrated campaign' of antisemitism allegations under Jeremy Corbyn 'most' of which were 'not justified'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A Labour MP, who recently lost the party whip for five months over “ill-judged” remarks she made about ex-chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, is facing further criticism after posting a photograph of herself with a notorious anti-Zionist activist.
Rupa Huq, the MP for Ealing Central and Acton, is pictured on Twitter with a group of pro-Palestine activists in parliament on Wednesday, including ex-Labour member Hilary Wise, who once suggested claims of antisemitism under Jeremy Corbyn were an “orchestrated smear.”
Wise, who was a member of the local Acton Labour party once stood up at Labour’s annual conference in 2018, and urged delegates to watch the Al Jazeera programme The Lobby, to “see what we are up against.”
An active Jewish Voice For Labour supporter, Wise, who was a member of Ealing CLP, was in parliament on Wednesday as the Palestine Solidarity Campaign staged a lobby day of MPs.
A photograph, put up on Huq’s Twitter page on Wednesday, showed her standing in Westminster Hall with Wise and four other constituents.
The MP wrote:” Thanks to constituents for coming in to Parliament today to lobby me on Palestinian issues Official government policy has long been a two state solution but progress has sadly stalled.
“The next Labour government will recognise the state of Palestine.”
Multiple sources confirmed to Jewish News that Huq had previously been warned about the conduct of Wise in the past.
Describing herself as a “writer, academic, supporter of Palestinian rights” on her Twitter biog, in February Wise retweeted a video of a group of protesters chanting “F**k Keir Starmer.”
She also retweeted a JVL statement headlined:”The EHRC has spoken – Labour is no place for left wing Jews.”
One Labour source told Jewish News:”What is she played at? You would have thought Rupa would think twice about posting photographs of herself with someone like Hilary Wise on Twitter.
“It’s not like she doesn’t know who she is, and what she’s about.”
As she spoke at Labour conference in 2018, Wise was warned by the chair of her “language,” but she continued her speech claiming the “list of people being denounced” for antisemitism were campaigners for Palestinian rights, and that the list would get longer as the election approached.
“As the prospect of a Jeremy Corbyn led government gets ever closer I’m afraid the campaign will get worse,” added Wise.
In September Huq had the party whip withdrawn after saying that ex-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng is “superficially black”.
She was recorded during a fringe meeting at Labour conference referring to Kwarteng’s private school background, and added “you wouldn’t know he was black”.
After apologising for the comments, and being suspended for five months, the whip was restored to Huq earlier his month.
She said:“During my suspension I have reflected on the offence caused by my remarks at last year’s Labour Party Conference and I want to offer, once again, my sincere apologies to everyone affected.
“As I promised at the time, I have undertaken and completed anti-racism and bias training.
“I want to make clear that I accept fully the conclusion of the Party’s inquiry and the sanction it has imposed.”
Jewish News has contacted Huq for comment over her decision to be photographed with Wise in parliament.
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