Northants PCC candidate launches police probe into Labour party member's '˜anti-semitic' tweets

Vicki Kirby was suspended as vice-chairman of the Woking constituency yesterday after being reported for a series of anti-Israel tweets she allegedly posted back in 2014.

She was suspended at the time and was only reinstated in the role on Monday.

But the Guido Fawkes website called for an internal investigation into how she was allowed to re-join the party after the alleged 2014 tweets.

On one of those tweets she said: “Who is this Zionist God? I’m starting to think it might be Hitler.”

But it is understood that Labour’s crime commissioner candidate for Northamptonshire Kevin McKeever has also reported her to Surrey Police this week.

In the past few minutes Mr McKeever has posted on his Facebook page: “Some of you may have seen on social media and in the national papers today that I referred a Labour party member to the police for suspected anti-Semitic comments which I believe warrant investigation as hate speech.

“I made the complaint because I believe racism of any kind has no place in our party or indeed our country.

“I’m a defender of free speech, but that right does not grant licence to make hateful, prejudiced comments that marginalise any community.

“Anti-Semitism is not the preserve of the far right. There is a problem with a small minority on the left too, who wilfully conflate legitimate criticism of the Israeli government with the alleged culpability of the Jewish race. This is wholly unacceptable.”

A spokesman for Labour said: “Vicki Kirby has been suspended from the Labour Party pending an investigation.”

Labour’s shadow home secretary Andy Burnham welcomed the news of Ms Kirby’s suspension and said Labour should have no tolerance for racism.

Labour MP for Ilford North, Wes Streeting, said: “Better late than never. Well done to everyone who spoke out and @kevinmckeever for police complaint. Shame it was needed.”