Shadow minister accused of sending ‘extreme’ Israel tweet

A shadow minister has been accused of sending “extreme” tweets, saying Israel should have been “put in the Middle West” rather than the Middle East.

Conservative Chloe Smith said she expects the reports linked to her fellow Norwich MP Clive Lewis are being examined by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.

Political website Guido Fawkes has highlighted a 2011 tweet from Mr Lewis, MP for Norwich South and a member of Labour’s frontbench, in which he quoted a comment suggesting Israel should have been “put in the Middle West” rather than the Middle East.

Speaking during a Commons debate on the Housing and Planning Bill, former minister Ms Smith (Norwich North) said: “Norwich City Council is, I’m sorry to report, led by Labour.

“Now, of course we do have elections on Thursday this week and Norwich Labour Party may be having a rather difficult week.

“The leader of the Labour Party no doubt is looking right now into reported extreme tweets from the honourable member for Norwich South.”

Mr Lewis had posted in February 2011: “Israeli commenting on #Egypt ‘They shldn’t have located Israel in the Middle East.Too dangerous.They should have put it in the Middle West’.”