FACTIONAL attacks on newly elected Peterborough MP Lisa Forbes over alleged anti-semitism are “galling” for anti-racists who have battled it for decades, a leading Jewish member of the Labour Party told the Morning Star today.

Campaign group Labour Against Anti-Semitism called for the immediate suspension of the new MP and condemned MPs who had travelled to Peterborough to campaign for her victory.

Ms Forbes came under attack for liking a Facebook post which included a reference to “zionist slave masters.” She has since apologised.

MPs Jess Phillips and Wes Streeting attacked Ms Forbes on the morning of the victory while Margaret Hodge said she had complained to the party leadership. Campaign Hope Not Hate also attacked the new MP.

But author David Rosenberg said he was “very glad that a trade union activist was elected instead of a tycoon and asset-stripper representing the Brexit Party.

“She ‘liked’ a very moving video made in the wake of the mosque massacre in New Zealand. She did not pay sufficient attention to the text posted within in which included an indefensible remark.

“In another case she made a positive comment about how she had appreciated a long discussion thread. Her opponents highlighted just one of the comments that accused the Israeli secret service of helping to create Isis.”

Pointing out that she had immediately apologised, Mr Rosenberg said that “these isolated cases seem much less serious than the statement by a Brexit representative that Labour only won because of the Asian vote, in a way that was reminiscent of the fascist leader Oswald Mosley blaming Jewish voters for the defeat of fascist candidates in East London in 1937. The Brexit Party spokesperson added: ‘Some of these houses had 14 people in them registered to vote. It would be interesting to see what proportion voted Labour.’

“For those of us who have been confronting anti-semitism in Britain for decades, it is galling to see it being used as a factional weapon by the likes of Jess Philipps, Wes Streeting and Margaret Hodge. By winning the by-election today Lisa Forbes has strengthened the Labour Party’s hand in challenging racism.”