Oh dear. Sir Alan Duncan is at it again. Back in April the former Tory minister was investigated by the Tory party after claiming the Conservative Friends of Israel group was ‘doing the bidding’ of the Israeli prime minister. Amid accusations of antisemitism, he called for Lord Polak, CFI’s former head, to be ‘removed from the Lords because he is exercising the interest of another country not that of the Parliament in which he sits.’ It prompted a stinging response from the Board of Deputies who said his ‘disgraceful’ words ‘effectively accuse two Conservative peers, one of whom is Jewish, of dual loyalties.’
Having survived that furore, it seems Duncan has learned nothing from the experience. For yesterday the Sun revealed that the former Foreign Office minister has claimed Robert Jenrick’s Jewish ‘family connections’ lie behind his pro-Israeli stance. In comments on the Palestine Deep Dive YouTube channel, Duncan said the Conservative leadership contender was an ‘extremist’ who ‘takes his script’ from Israel. Asked why he believed Jenrick – whose wife is Jewish – was a fervent defender of Israel, Sir Alan went on: ‘It is disgusting extremism born of ignorance. But there’s also family connections which have a Jewish link.’ Both Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch have condemned Duncan’s comments. But there is no news yet from CCHQ as to whether he will be suspended by the party for this latest outburst. A spokesman told the Sun:
The Conservative party has an established Code of Conduct and formal processes. If a complaint is made it is reviewed thoroughly and may result in an investigation or the matter being dismissed. This process is rightly confidential.
Don’t take too long chaps – or else Sir Alan will say something else crass in the meantime…
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