JOINT STATEMENT BY BOARD OF DEPUTIES AND JEWISH LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

Baroness Tonge's support for an investigation into baseless accusations of organ harvesting by the Israeli rescue teams is outrageous and a calumny.

Baroness Tonge has promoted this libel against Israel by utilising historical themes that are classically deployed to attack the Jewish people. She has dishonoured the noble efforts of Israelis who engaged in a selfless humanitarian effort to save lives in Haiti.

Whatever her motives, Jenny Tonge's persistent use of antisemitic tropes has no place in British politics. Nick Clegg has responded swiftly and correctly by sacking her as the party’s health spokesman in the Lords. We welcome this response. Nevertheless, any further use of antisemitic rhetoric must result in Tonge's expulsion from the party and loss of the whip.