A Labour student group has apologised after the party’s prominent youth activist Bethany Barker – who was Chair of Nottingham Labour Students Committee – posted dozens of sick racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic tweets. Barker introduced Jeremy Corbyn at Labour’s local elections campaign launch in Newark, Notts, last month. The remarkable tweets – sent several years ago – are a litany of extremely offensive comments:

Here she is (second left), pictured with Shadow Cabinet minister Angela Rayner:

Nottingham Labour students said:

“At 2.35pm we were made aware of a series of tweets which Bethany Barker had made on a deleted personal Twitter account, which were of a racist, anti-Semitic and homophobic nature from 2012-14.”

Barker said:

“As some of you may have seen on Twitter, some screenshots have resurfaced about what have said in the past. I’m absolutely horrified and beyond disgusted about these tweets and they are in no representative of the views I hold now. I have no recollection of writing these tweets and I am unequivocally sorry for the shadow has been brought over our society because of it. These views are in no way with what I align with today and am beyond upset that I could ever say such things. This society has meant so much to me since started university and the Labour Party has been held so strongly in my heart since have been a part of it.”

Just last month Jez was beaming as Bethany led her to the stage…