Labour’s handling of antisemitism within its ranks sparked protests in Westminster last year

A Labour council candidate has been suspended after The Times presented the party with social media posts he made about Israel and Jews.

Harry Virco, a candidate in next month’s local elections for Fylde borough council in Lancashire, wrote on Twitter last year: “Has Israel & the Jewish people learned nothing from their persecution under Hitler? Yes they have! They now know how to persecute other people & especially children.”

In January he wrote: “Israel is turning itself into a Neo-natzi state.” In June 2017 he shared an article with the comment: “Disgusting pair Murdoch/Rothschild Israel Exposed Secretly Paying Syrian ‘Rebels’ to Protect Rothschild Murdoch Oil”. The Rothschild family regularly feature in antisemitic conspiracy theories.

Mr Virco has been suspended by Labour pending an investigation.