DESPITE Keir Starmer claiming to be taking a tough stance to tackle the Labour Party’s widespread antisemitism problem, a Tower Hamlets Councillor who denied the existence of the Jewish race, and who argued that Jews have no historical claim to a homeland, has had his suspension overturned and remains a fully-fledged party member.
Tower Hamlets councillor and Momentum’s former national treasurer, Puru Miah, was suspended from the Labour party at the end of last year after a social media post was unearthed in which he said there was “no factual basis whatsoever for a Jewish race”, and claiming that anything said to the contrary was ‘Zionist propaganda’.
He told the LDR service it was made before he was a Labour party member and when he was involved in buying and selling academic books.
In the post he linked to a book by Israeli historian Shlomo Sand and wrote: “The invention of the Jewish people. This is an absolutely ‘must read’ for everyone who wants truth and justice for Palestine/Israel.
“The essential historical evidence will amaze you – there is no factual basis whatsoever for a Jewish race, nation or homeland, it is all recently invented propaganda called ‘Zionism’.”
Mr Miah said in a statement: “I unreservedly apologise for the hurt caused. Looking back at the post, I am embarrassed, given the current context of anxieties in the Jewish community and the backdrop of rising prejudices against minority communities.
“The situation fills me with regret and as soon as it was raised with me, I removed the private Facebook post.
I realise it falls far below the standards expected of a Labour councillor, representing diverse communities of all faiths and backgrounds… I look forward to this matter being investigated and resolved through an independent complaint’s procedure as recommended by the EHRC.”
Mr Miah was the national treasurer for the Momentum campaign during the 2017 general election and was responsible for the political organisations election canvassing at the time.
And it now appears that Mr Miah has been quietly welcomed back into the party, with his social media accounts proudly declaring himself to be a Labour Councillor, and the official website of Tower Hamlets Council also clearly stating him as representing his constituents for the Labour Party.
In recent days, Miah has thrown his support behind ISIS bride and strict Shariah Law enforcer Shamima Begum, protesting the scrapping of her citizenship and the decision to ban her from returning to the UK.
