Tory MP and ex-Oxford Union president calls out ‘mess of antisemitism’ at debating club
Gregory Stafford MP urges the government to write to the Oxford Union following allegations of antisemtism at Israel 'apartheid' debate
A Conservative MP and former treasurer of the Oxford Union has urged Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson to write to the famous debating club to stress that “antisemitism has no place in society – especially not at our universities.”
Gregory Stafford, the MP for Farnham and Bordon, raised what he said had been “a mess of antisemitism” that emerged at a debate that took place at the Oxford Union on Nov 28 on the motion: “This house believes Israel is an apartheid state responsible for genocide.”
The motion was carried by 278 ayes to 59 noes, and led to further accusations of intimidation and bias against the four pro-Israel speakers, two of whom were not Jewish.
Stafford, who declared his own former link to the Oxford Union, said the debate three weeks ago saw students “vote in the majority that they would not have reported Hamas plans if they’d known before the October 7 attacks.”
During Wednesday’s topical questions session in the Commons he called for the Secretary of State to write to the debating club in response to the events that took place that night.
One of the speakers, the notorious anti-Zionist Miko Peled, had also expressed his support for the Oct 7 attacks as “heroism”, and was greeted with cheers by many in the hall, while Jewish speakers calling for the police to become involved over allegations he had shown support for the proscribed terror organisation.
Responding for the government Equalities Minister Anneleise Dodds said:”The government could not have been clearer in terms of our position on antisemtism – there is no place for antisemitism in our society… whether its within educational settings or in any other part of society.”
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