Labour probes member's 'anti-Semitic tweets'

A Labour Party member in Sheffield is being investigated over a series of alleged anti-Semitic tweets.

Marianne Tellier, the former secretary of Labour's Park and Arbourthourne branch has been suspended after a number of complaints were received.

One tweet shows a Job Centre sign with the words Arbeit Macht Frei - Work Sets You Free - written on it; a reference to a sign at the WW2 Auschwitz camp.

Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh described it as "repulsive".

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The BBC has approached Ms Tellier for a comment.

The words "Arbeit Macht Frei" are written above the entrance gate to the former Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz

The suspension comes amid an ongoing row about anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and on the day the head of its disputes panel, Christine Shawcroft, stood down from her role as it emerged she opposed the suspension of a council candidate accused of Holocaust denial.

The Job Centre image was originally posted in November 2017 but complaints only arose after it was recently retweeted.

The Labour Party has said it takes any complaints of anti-Semitism extremely seriously and a full investigation will be held into the allegations.

Labour MP Ms Haigh said: "The unacceptable and insensitive tweets are repulsive and it is absolutely right that she has now been suspended.

"I'm glad that the party has taken swift and decisive action and made clear that this kind of rhetoric will not be tolerated."

Labour councillors for the Park and Arbourthorne ward, Julie Dore, Jack Scott and Ben Miskell, said they welcomed the action being taken by the party.

In a statement they said: "It is right and appropriate that the party does not tolerate any form of anti-Semitism and it has no place in the party."

Sheffield city councillor and leader of the Liberal Democrat group, Shaffaq Mohammed, said: "This is absolutely appalling imagery and I expected better from the Labour Party."