Portsmouth Momentum organiser resigns over anti-semitic Facebook posts

Ian Love resigned after an investigation was launched following comments he made on Facebook

Ian Love, 64, a former acting secretary for Momentum Portsmouth, has stood down from the role after posting inflammatory comments on Facebook.

He came under fire amid reports he called former Labour leader Tony Blair ‘Jewish to the core’ on Facebook, claiming the ex-prime minister was ‘protected’ by the Rothschild family, who he said ‘control all the money in the world’.

But after his comments appeared in a Sunday Times probe into so-called anti-semitic strains of Labour supporters online, Mr Love told The News: ‘It was not about anti-semitism, it was about capitalism – my words were twisted.’

However, just days after making this statement, Mr Love stood down from his role with Portsmouth Momentum.

Now the chairman of Portsmouth Momentum Cal Corkery has issued a warning to any other members thinking of posting anti-semitic or hate messages online.

He said: ‘There is no place for anti-semitism in Portsmouth Momentum.

‘(Mr Love) very quickly resigned from the party a day or two after the news broke. That meant that the investigation was cut off there and then.

‘The message that we would like to put out there is that comments like these are unacceptable.

‘They clearly were interpreted as being anti-semitic and that has no place in the party.’

Mr Love was contacted by The News but was unavailable for comment.

As previously reported, the comments had sparked a fiery reaction from politicians and residents across Portsmouth.

At the time Stephen Morgan, Portsmouth South MP, said a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on anti-semitism and hatred had to be implemented.

While in a collective statement the executive committee of the Portsmouth Constituency Labour Party also hit out at the remarks, saying there was ‘no place’ for such views in the group.

‘The Labour Party will act on concerns and ensure those involved are fully investigated,’ the party added in a statement.

Responding to the latest development, the Labour MP said: ‘I am determined the Labour Party be a place to fight antisemitism alongside British Jews, and never a refuge for those who seek to intimidate them.

‘There is more to do in the party and wider society to tackle antisemitism and I am an ally every step of the way.’