Update: Unite has now told us that Vicki Kirby does not presently work for the union, but they would not confirm whether she did work for them in the past, or when and why she may have left.

Vicki Kirby, who was twice suspended from the Labour Party over allegations of antisemitism has now reportedly been appointed by Unite, the union, as a regional officer, according to political blog Guido Fawkes.

Ms Kirby twice stood as a parliamentary candidate for the Labour Party and was Vice-Chair of its Woking branch. In 2014 she was suspended by the Labour Party after the Sunday Times and political blog Guido Fawkes exposed a number of tweets in which she wrote “What do you know [about] Jews? They have big noses and support Spurs”, said that Hitler was the “Zionist G-d” and Zionists’ “teacher”, and proposed that ISIS should attack Israel. After she remained active within the Party, Ms Kirby was suspended again following an outcry from Labour MPs.

Ms Kirby has been found repeatedly making antisemitic comments. If true, it is a disgrace that she has been recruited by Unite. Members may wish to contact the union’s Executive Council to express their concerns.