CONSERVATIVE councillors in Swindon have decided to weigh into the Labour party’s ongoing difficulties with anti-Semitism.

Leader of Swindon Borough Council, David Renard and his deputy Coun Russell Holland have written to the leader of the Labour group at the council, Coun Jim Grant to express their dismay at remarks made by Kate Linnegar the party’s candidate for North Swindon parliamentary constituency.

The letter makes reference to posts on Swindon People’s Assembly social media accounts associated with Ms Linnegar which referred to “Zion slaves” and described Zionists as “fake Jews”.

Ms Linnegar denied she was responsible for the posts and was recently cleared by a Labour party investigation.

The letter also says she shared posts saying the novichok attack in Salisbury was 'convenient' for the government.

The letter from the two Conservative councillors says: “We, and many other Swindon residents were appalled to hear [she] has been cleared of any wrong doing by the Labour party.”

It adds: “The response from the Swindon Labour party has been woefully beneath the expectations of the public. Your silence on these matters has been shameful.”

In what appears to be an attempt to trap Coun Grant the letter calls on him to condemn the social media posts and for the local party request Ms Linnegar to issue a public apology and to refuse to share a platform or campaign with her until she apologises.

It concludes: “If we do not receive a response, we will assume you share the views of you candidate and endorse her actions in sharing these posts.”

Coun Grant said that the investigation into Ms Linnegar was carried out by the national party’s National Executive Committee and that local councillors have not been involved.

He said: “The Labour Party and Swindon Labour Group are committed to eradicating antisemitism in all its forms within our Party, across the political spectrum and wider society. “Any complaints about antisemitism received by the Party are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken. Labour Groups are not involved in those processes.”

The Advertiser has attempted to contact Ms Linnegar, but at time of going to press has had no response.

Previously she told the Advertiser: “The Twitter account was set up when we started Swindon People’s Assembly some years ago. The person running it was so inactive at tweeting that we forgot it even existed. We haven’t seen this person at Swindon People’s Assembly for a long time.

“When we were alerted to what had been tweeted, we asked the person to delete it as the views were not those of Swindon People’s Assembly, me or the Labour Party. This person is not a Labour Party member.”