Labour councillor suspended over controversial tweets

A newly-elected Haringey councillor has now been suspended by The Labour Party over a series of controversial social media posts that have been linked to her.

Joy Wallace’s suspension follows an investigation by Labour after the past Twitter posts were revealed by The Jewish Chronicle and Haringey’s Liberal Democrat opposition group.

It comes just over a month after she was elected to represent Fortis Green ward on 5th May.

The suspension means Cllr Wallace cannot attend Labour Party meetings or events.

A Twitter account allegedly belonging to Cllr Wallace – which is no longer online – suggested a rabbi had been “paid and handsomely rewarded” for criticising former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on Radio 4. Another post claimed members of the Labour Party expelled for alleged antisemitism were “Palestine sympathisers”.

A further Twitter post questioned Home Secretary Priti Patel’s Asian heritage, suggesting that her colour might be the result of the skin disease vitiligo. The tweet said: “There you go #pritipatel she does not consider her parents refugees/migrants or indeed her ENTIRE family are ethnic people… because she has straight hair and nose. Her skin might be vitiligo or a strong sunbed?!”

According to the Lib Dems, one of the posts they unearthed from the same account comments that a Jewish man criticising Jeremy Corbyn at a Board of Deputies of British Jews conference might find “the Israeli way and life is best for him”. Another post seemingly endorses a conspiracy theory linking George Floyd’s killing to claims US police forces had learned tactics from the Israeli secret service.

Cllr Wallace is the second Haringey Labour councillor to be suspended by the party after being elected for the first time on 5th May. She has been approached for comment.