Conservative councillor suspended after allegedly sharing social media posts about “Zionist controllers” and “Jewish supremacism”

A councillor representing the Conservatives in Derbyshire has been suspended for five years after allegedly sharing social media posts containing inflammatory remarks about Jews.

It is claimed that Philip Rose shared posts relating to antisemitic conspiracy theories relating to “Zionist controllers”, “Jewish supremacism”, and videos featuring the antisemitic hate preacher David Icke.

Since 2021, Cllr Rose appears to have made at least seventeen remarks online referring to the alleged nefarious activities of “Rothschild Zionists”, “cultural Marxism”, the “Illuminati”, the white genocide conspiracy theory known as the Kalergi Plan and claims that George Soros is encouraging “race war”. Mr Soros a Jewish financier and controversial activist who is often the target of antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Cllr Rose was elected for the Alfreton and Somercotes division in May 2021 and is alleged to have shared the posts in 2019.

It was around this time that Cllr Rose stood as a candidate for UKIP in Erewash and Bolsover for Derbyshire County Council, and for Amber Valley Council, before joining the Conservatives and chosen as a candidate for the 2021 county council elections.

According to a statement released by the Derbyshire Conservative Group, Cllr Rose “expressed fully his genuine regret, embarrassment, and total remorse that he posted the material in question and he offered his sincere and unreserved apologies.” The group added that the councillor may be readmitted to the Party after five years if he commits to undergoing diversity and social media training.

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.