Peterborough MP Lisa Forbes to meet Jewish groups

Labour MP Lisa Forbes was elected after a by-election in Peterborough

Leaders of Jewish community groups will meet with a Labour MP to explain why social media posts "liked" by her promoted anti-Semitism.

Lisa Forbes won a by-election in Peterborough on 7 June but had been criticised during her campaign for her online activity.

In response to an apology from Ms Forbes four leading Jewish organisations said they would meet her.

The MP has said she "mistakenly" engaged with the content.

She will meet with representatives from the Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council, Community Security Trust and Antisemitism Policy Trust.

'Zionist agenda'

Ms Forbes won the by-election, called after Labour MP Fiona Onasanya was forced out after being jailed for lying about speeding, with 31% of the votes - 683 votes ahead of the Brexit Party.

During the campaign she liked a post which said Theresa May had a "Zionist slave masters agenda" but Labour said Ms Forbes had liked the video expressing solidarity with the victim's of March's terror attacks in News Zealand "without reading the accompanying text".

However, there had been calls for her to be suspended from the party or have the whip removed.

'Gain your trust'

In her apology Ms Forbes wrote: "I am aware that the kind of content I mistakenly engaged with online was deeply offensive and contained anti-Semitic language and tropes which harm the Jewish community.

"I know it is not good enough to simply say I am anti-racist; I know I need to demonstrate to you that I will take action to gain your trust and I hope you will agree to meet with me."

In response Gillian Merron, chief executive of the Board of Deputies, wrote: "We will set out why the messages that you approved promote Jew-hatred and contain anti-Semitic conspiracy theories."

She added they would explain about anti-Jewish conspiracy theories and the nature of modern anti-Semitism.