Bradford MP faces disciplinary action over Holocaust slur

Liberal Democrat David Ward said on his website he was committed to “honouring those who died during the Holocaust” but accused “the Jews” in Israel of “inflicting atrocities on Palestinians... on a daily basis”, according to the BBC.

Lib Dems will take disciplinary action but no said decision had yet been taken on what that will be.

On the page, which has since been taken down, Mr Ward said he had “signed a Book of Commitment in the House of Commons, in doing so pledging his commitment to Holocaust Memorial Day” and describes Auschwitz as “the Nazi concentration and extermination camp which is the site of the largest mass murder in history”.

But he added: “Having visited Auschwitz twice - once with my family and once with local schools - I am saddened that the Jews, who suffered unbelievable levels of persecution during the Holocaust, could within a few years of liberation from the death camps be inflicting atrocities on Palestinians in the new State of Israel and continue to do so on a daily basis in the West Bank and Gaza.”

Victims of the Holocaust and Nazi persecution will be honouring Holocaust Memorial Day on Sunday.

A Liberal Democrat spokesman said: “This is a matter we take extremely seriously. The Liberal Democrats deeply regret and condemn the statement issued by David Ward and his use of language which is unacceptable.”

Karen Pollock, chief executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “I am deeply saddened that at this sombre time, when we remember those who were murdered by the Nazis, Mr Ward has deliberately abused the memory of the Holocaust causing deep pain and offence - these comments are sickening and unacceptable and have no place in British politics.”