A COUNCILLOR who shared an ‘anti-Semitic’ cartoon on social media has been suspended from the Labour Party.
Mike Cahill, a West Oxfordshire district councillor for the Chipping Norton ward, shared a post on Facebook containing the ‘anti-Semitic’ cartoon, leading to his suspension.
Following the decision, Councillors were emailed to inform them that Mr Cahill ‘no longer wishes to be treated as a member of the Labour Party and he will sit as independent’.
Mr Cahill said: “I’m under administrative suspension from the Labour party, meaning they’re investigating a dispute against me.
“I posted using my phone an extensive quote from Albert Einstein complaining what was happening to the Palestinians in 1948.
“Where it went wrong was that when I posted the link to this article, apparently there was also a cartoon, which rightly so, was regarded as offensive.
“The mistake was mine, nobody else’s. It’s pretty obvious that anybody who knows me knows it was out of character.”
In a post since deleted on Facebook, Mr Cahill apologised for sharing the cartoon.
The post read: “On visiting the page later, I discovered the cartoon, offensive in its presentation of racial stereotypes.
“That is why the post as a whole has been removed and I apologise again to those whom I have offended.”
A spokesperson for the Labour Party said any complaints will be fully investigated, and appropriate action taken.
“The Labour Party takes all complaints of anti-Semitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken” they added.
