Liberal Democrats suspend council candidate following alleged Facebook posts calling antisemitism “a fraud”

The Liberal Democrats have suspended a candidate standing for Rochdale Council after it was reported that he made and shared several incendiary Facebook posts about antisemitism.

Guido Fawkes reported that several questionable posts and shared posts had surfaced from the Facebook account of hopeful council candidate Fezan Khalid, with screenshots appearing to corroborate the report.

In one screenshot, Mr Khalid appeared to state that “anti-semitism [sic] is a complete fraud”, apparently going on to claim that Ashkenazi Jews “created Zionism/Communism and then Israel…they are not semitic Jews but white European causation [sic] Jews.”

Another screenshot seemingly shows that Mr Khalid shared a post from a different account that said of Home Secretary Suella Braverman: [She] is a Buddhist, Morher [sic] is Indian Christian Father is Hindu. Husband is Jewish mix that up and you get a cocktail of hatred…”

Mr Khalid is reported to now be suspended by the Liberal Democrats whilst an internal investigation takes place.

A spokesperson for the Party said: “Based on further evidence that has been reviewed under the Party’s Independent Complaints Process, Fezan Khalid has been suspended from the party, pending outcome of the complaint.”

Cllr Andy Kelly, leader of Rochdale Council’s Liberal Democrats group, said: “Rochdale Liberal Democrats welcome this decision and cannot make further public comment as not to influence the ongoing investigation. In the meantime the local party have been asked to enforce this suspension as best as is reasonably practical, and will be doing so effective immediately.”

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.