In an email sent to all Essex Alumni, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Essex has condemned anti-Semitism and made clear that after more than 200 students voted against the establishment of a Jewish society, Sabbatical Officers have met with the Trustee Board, and have decided to immediately ratify the society. Amazing that it went to a referendum in the first place…

Guido reported yesterday that lecturer Dr Maaruf Ali had been encouraging students to vote against the establishment of the society, and had shared anti-Semitic content on Facebook. The Vice Chancellor has confirmed that he has suspended the lecturer and an independent investigation has been initiated:

“Serious allegations have been made against a member of University staff. In accordance with our University procedures, an independent investigation of these allegations has been initiated and whilst this takes place a member of staff has been suspended.”

Meanwhile, Labour’s Colchester candidate Tina McKay has also apologised for her “offensive and inappropriate” remarks over Labour anti-Semitism on the University of Essex Labour Society Facebook page. These instances are becoming increasingly common. Academia and the Labour Party still have questions to answer…

Labour’s candidate for Colchester, Tina McKay, has claimed that there is “evidence” Anti-Semitism is being used as a plot against Jeremy Corbyn. Commenting on an Essex University Labour Students post which decried Labour Party’s woeful record on dealing with anti-Semitism, McKay said she “would dispute” the student group’s claims that “Anti-semitism isn’t treated as a real issue.” She went on to say:

“There have been individuals who have said that it has been used as a plot, there is evidence of what they said being true.”

This comes during the week in which over 200 University of Essex students voted against the establishment of a Jewish Society at the university. Dr Maaruf Ali, a lecturer who shared anti-Semitic posts on Facebook including Holocaust denial, campaigned against the establishment of the society writing “the Zionists next want to create a society here at our university”. Labour’s candidate wading in to a student Facebook thread to say anti-Semitism is being used to smear Jeremy Corbyn, the week that Jewish students at the university have had to face this kind of abuse is beyond excruciating…