A Labour MP has sparked fury after praising a controversial pro-Assad blogger who once branded murdered MP Jo Cox as a ‘warmongering Al Qaeda advocate’.
Derby North MP Chris Williamson wrote on Twitter that it was a ‘privilege’ to meet writer Vanessa Beeley at the Beautiful Days festival in Exeter, over the weekend.
Yet in a tweet nearly a year after Mrs Cox’s death, Ms Beeley, 53, wrote: ‘Jo Cox was a warmongering Blairite and White Helmet Al Qaeda advocate’.
Derby North MP Chris Williamson (left) has sparked fury after praising a controversial pro-Assad blogger who once branded murdered MP Jo Cox (right) as a ‘warmongering Al Qaeda advocate’
Mrs Cox, mother-of-two, died in 2016 after she was attacked by far-right extremist Thomas Mair in her Batley and Spen constituency. He was later jailed for life for her murder.
Her foundation donates to White Helmets, a volunteer group who helps rescue those involved in Syria’s civil war.
Yet the pro-Assad blogger claims it is actually a terrorist-linked organisation that fakes it activities to create sympathy for the western regime plot against Syrian leader, Bashar al-Assad.
Ms Beeley, who was at the festival to discuss the Syrian conflict, has also previously tweeted that ‘Zionists rule France’, Huffpost UK revealed.
In a tweet nearly a year after Mrs Cox’s death, Ms Beeley, 53, wrote: ‘Jo Cox was a warmongering Blairite and White Helmet Al Qaeda advocate’
Ms Beeley (pictured), who was at the festival to discuss the Syrian conflict, has also previously tweeted that ‘Zionists rule France’
After meeting the blogger Mr Williamson tweeted: ‘Great to meet Vanessa Beeley today and a privilege to hear her speak at the Beautiful Days 2018 festival about her experiences of reporting from Syria’.
The comment quickly faced backlash from social media users who called the MP an ‘absolute disgrace’.
Mr Williamson, who is considered a close ally of Corbyn’s, was previously accused of comparing the Liberal Democrat Party to the Nazis in 2013.
He tweeted at the time: ‘The #LibDems have facilitated the most vicious right-wing govt since WW2. Let’s vote these collaborators out of office.’
And now the former shadow minister’s praise of Ms Beeley comes amid ongoing claims of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.
A recent poll found that more than a quarter of voters think Mr Corbyn is anti-Semitic – and nearly half believe Labour has a serious problem with the issue.
The leadership has been engaged in a bitter battle with the Jewish communities after refusing to adopt the international definition of anti-Semitism in full in the party’s new code of conduct.
After meeting the blogger Mr Williamson tweeted: ‘Great to meet Vanessa Beeley today and a privilege to hear her speak at the Beautiful Days 2018 festival about her experiences of reporting from Syria’
The comment quickly faced backlash from social media users who branded the blogger ‘Assad’s very own Alex Jones’ and called the MP an ‘absolute disgrace’
Veteran left-winger Mr Corbyn has been under intense scrutiny since the MailOnline revealed he attended a wreath-laying in Tunisia in 2014 for masterminds behind the Munich Olympics terror attack on Israeli athletes.
Meanwhile, a OnePoll survey for The Sun found 27 per cent of the public thought Mr Corbyn was anti-Semitic – something he fiercely denies.
More than one in three said he was unfit to be PM due to the row, and 47 per cent agreed that Labour has a serious problem with anti-Semitism.
A spokesperson for the Labour Party said they are looking into Williamson’s tweet, the online newspaper reported.
Chris Williamson has been contacted for comment.