Labour MP Steve Reed engulfed in anti-Semitism row over Tory claims he alluded to Jewish businessman as ‘puppet-master’
A SHADOW Cabinet Minister was dragged into an anti-Semitism row last night after a Tory MP claimed he alluded to a Jewish businessman as a “puppet-master”.
Labour’s Steve Reed was accused of using the trope about Richard Desmond who has been at the centre of a £1 billion property deal controversially signed off by the government.
He was also responding to claims that Home Secretary Priti Patel met Desmond and then called for a relaxation of lottery rules.
He tweeted: “Is billionaire former porn-baron Desmond the puppet master for the entire Tory cabinet?”
One Tory source demanded Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer condemn Reed’s words.
Andrew Percy MP, said: “Alluding to Jews as puppet-masters is an age old antisemitic trope and for a Shadow Cabinet member to use this trope is totally unacceptable.
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“If Keir Starmer was serious about tackling antisemitism he would sack Steve Reed on the spot.
“Otherwise the British people will rightly conclude the action taken against Rebecca Long-Bailey last week was done out of political convenience rather than principle.”
A source close to Steve Reed said: "Steve did not know Richard Desmond was Jewish. He deleted the tweet and did not mean to cause any offence."
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