A Labour candidate who said she would 'celebrate' the death of Tony Blair was condemned yesterday by the city's veteran MP.

Former paymaster general Geoffrey Robinson, who has represented Coventry North West since 1976, said Zarah Sultana's were 'utterly reprehensible'.

The Labour MP's comments came as it emerged that Miss Sultana has also used racial slurs. Zarah Sultana, who is standing for Coventry South, referred to a Jewish student as 'YT' – from the slang 'whitey', and often used to disparage white people.

Labour candidate Zarah Sultana came under fire on Monday after it was revealed that she said she would 'celebrate' the deaths of Tony Blair and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. She also wrote of her support for 'violent resistance' by Palestinians

The 26-year-old came under fire on Monday after it was revealed that she said she would 'celebrate' the deaths of Tony Blair and Israeli leader Benjamin Netanyahu. She also wrote of her support for 'violent resistance' by Palestinians.

Yesterday, Miss Sultana, who is also former parliamentary officer for campaign group Muslim Engagement and Development, which allegedly promoted extremism, was also accused of using racist slurs while a student at Birmingham University.

In one Facebook post about a Jewish student, Miss Sultana wrote: 'I can't believe this YT thinks she can represent us.'

In 2015, Miss Sultana, who sat on the national executives of both Young Labour and the National Union of Students, posted on Twitter: 'Yay, the white woman didn't win the Ethnic Minorities Officer Election!'

In 2015, Miss Sultana, who sat on the national executives of both Young Labour and the National Union of Students, posted on Twitter: 'Yay, the white woman didn't win the Ethnic Minorities Officer Election!'

It also emerged that Miss Sultana had previously criticised the police and the monarchy. In 2014, she posted: 'Can we get rid of the monarchy while we're fighting the establishment and its institutions? Viva la revolucion!'

In 2015, she tweeted: 'Solidarity with those protesting in London right now. Keep safe from the thugs that are the police.'

Criticising her comments about Blair and Netanyahu, Mr Robinson said: 'I condemn in the strongest terms the comments made by Zarah Sultana, currently, the Labour Party candidate for Coventry South. It is utterly reprehensible for any Labour candidate in Coventry, a City of Peace and Reconciliation, to justify violence and celebrate the death of world leaders.

'I believe these comments bring the Labour Party into disrepute and therefore urge the Labour Party and Ms Sultana to think carefully about what is in the interests of the Labour Party.'

The Labour Party has refused to comment on the reports of despite the anti-Semitism crisis engulfing the party. Last night Miss Sultana apologised for her posts but refused to stand down as a candidate.

She said: 'Criticism of Israel is, of course, not anti-Semitic in and of itself... I wholeheartedly condemn anti-Semitism – whether it is propagated by the far-right, or tolerated and unchallenged by some on the Left. As an anti-racist campaigner and a Muslim, I'm committed to fighting racism in all its forms and I know that these forms are interconnected and must be fought collectively.

'For me, the liberation of my Jewish comrades from the scourge of anti-Semitism is indivisible from my own liberation.'

She added: 'The police do vital work keeping our communities safe... Four years ago, I commented on a peaceful protest that was met with violence and arrests. I regret the words I used, which I should have chosen more carefully.'

But senior Labour figures continued to criticise Miss Sultana, a paid employee of Labour, who supports the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions campaign against Israel.

Independent MP Ian Austin, who resigned from Labour in February 2019, said: 'How on earth has Labour chosen someone who said she would 'celebrate' deaths of Tony Blair and Netanyahu to stand for Parliament?'

Former Labour MP Michael Foster added: 'You will ruin Jeremy's chances of becoming PM. Just go and take your poison with you.'

But Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer refused to condemn Miss Sultana, who has been criticised for the posts uncovered by the Jewish Chronicle.

On BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Mr Starmer said: 'I honestly don't know the details of who said what when. I think every candidate should uphold the values of the Labour Party and that's very important to me and to all of the candidates that are standing.'

Boris's wrestler opponent fights dirty

Slapping an opponent around the face and then kicking him between the legs, this is the Labour candidate who is trying to oust Boris Johnson.

Ali Milani fights dirty – if images from his wrestling days are anything to go by. The 25-year-old is campaigning in Uxbridge, west London, to wrest away Mr Johnson's majority and unseat the Prime Minister.

He is already embroiled in a storm of controversy over anti-Semitic comments that he once posted online.

The Labour candidate is no stranger to confrontation, as an extraordinary video of him taking part in a wrestling match in 2013 shows. As self-styled 'Prince Ali', Iran-born Mr Milani struts around the ring and squares up to his Greek opponent 'Kosta Kebab'.

Ali Milani (right) in wrestling bout. Milani, 225, is hoping to defeat Boris Johnson to win his Uxbridge & South Ruislip parliamentary seat

Before the match even begins, there is a clue for Mr Johnson that it might not be a clean fight ahead – as Mr Milani snubs an offer of a gentlemanly handshake from his foe and instead slaps him around the face. The bizarre video, filmed at a community hall in Chingford, east London, shows Mr Milani getting a drubbing in return.

At one point, the wrestling pair tumble from the ring and Mr Milani slams the other man's head into a wall. Back in the ring, he props him on the ropes and kicks him hard between the legs. Keen wrestling fans have reason to suspect the match was rigged.

As the bout continues, Mr Milani theatrically yells 'Shut it!' at members of the crowd cheering for Kosta Kebab. Last night, Mr Milani and Momentum activists hosted an 'Unseat Boris' rally in the Uxbridge constituency.

Dozens turned out to help launch their crusade to 'make Boris Johnson the first British Prime Minister to lose their seat while in office'. They are targeting voters from ethnic minorities – who make up 30 per cent of the local population – and their Facebook page brands Mr Johnson 'a nasty piece of work' who once compared women wearing burqas to letterboxes.

Ali Milani in wresting bout. Talking to Iran's Press TV four years ago, Mr Milani was asked about having an 'armed struggle' with Israel and pointedly did not rule it out

Among Mr Milani's archived posts, he suggested he would like to 'go to war' with Israel and used the hashtag 'Jew' to mock someone being tight with money. In a tweet in 2012, he apparently wrote: 'I want to be the President of Israel. They have a self-destruct button, right?' In another, a year later, he seems to have written: 'Israel has no right to exist.'

Talking to Iran's Press TV four years ago, Mr Milani was asked about having an 'armed struggle' with Israel and pointedly did not rule it out. He also claimed the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America were 'false flag' operations, suggesting the US government was behind them.

Mr Milani has insisted he is sorry about his previous remarks.

Last night, referring to his 9/11 tweets, he said: 'As I have said many times over the years, as a teenager we often fell into silly theories like this. I was 17 when I tweeted this. I myself have been on the receiving end of racist 9/11 conspiracies, with racists superimposing my face on pictures of the 9/11 planes that hit the twin towers.'