Penny Mordaunt quizzed about new Tory councillor rejected by Labour over antisemitism

Conservative minister Penny Mordaunt has been asked to explain why a newly elected councillor is still a member of her party despite a history of antisemitic activity.

Labour MP Alex Cunningham raised claims that after Shakeel Hussein was “cheered” by Tory activists after he was elected on to Stockton-on-Tees council to represent the party despite a string of published statements including claims Israelis were “Zionist murderers.”

Cunningham, the MP for Stockton North, confirmed an earlier Jewish News report revealing Hussain had “joined the Conservatives after being rejected by the Labour Party for his antisemitic views.”

He then asked Leader of the House of Commons Mordaunt:”Why is Mr Hussain still a Tory Party member?”

During Thursday’s Business Questions to the Leader of the House Cunningham then added:”And what is the government advice to Tory Group leader Tony Riordan who, offered some of the evidence well before the election declined to look because he didn’t have his spectacles on.”

Responding, Mordaunt, who was earlier praised by MPs from across all sides of the House for her sword carrying role at the Coronation, said the claims against Hussain were “a matter for the party chairman.”

She added the Tory Party have a “proper process to look at all these matters.”

On Wednesday, Keir Starmer’s spokesperson had told Jewish News:”“The Stockton example is a particularly egregious example of what we have seen, frankly from the Conservatives and from the Green Party.

“People who have been expelled from the Labour party and then have been welcomed into other political parties.

“We think that is totally unacceptable. There’s a reason why we took action against people based on their views on antisemitism.

“We have prioritised this, and would expect other parties to act in the same high standards we have.

It’s pretty shocking to see the Conservatives, for political advantage, welcome into the party people whose political views are abhorrent.”

A Downing Street spokesperson stressed that Rishi Sunak had a “zero tolerance” approach to tackling antisemitism in his party.