THERE has been a swell of support for Naz Shah MP after she was targeted by a Tory activist yesterday.
Theodora Dickinson responded to a post on social media website, Twitter, showing the Bradford West MP discussing her experience of poverty and recalling childhood trips to Scarborough.
The Tory activist said: "If racist Naz Shah hates this country so much why doesn’t she go back to Pakistan?!"
Ms Dickinson has since been suspended and was being investigated last night (Friday).
Ms Shah, who is Bradford-born and a shadow minister for the Labour party, has received messages of solidarity on Twitter following the tweet from Ms Dickinson, which the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) described as "blatant racism".
Angela Rayner, Labour MP for Ashton under Lyne, said: "Sending solidarity to my friend and colleague Naz Shah, this is horrendous stuff!"
Sending solidarity to my friend and colleague @NazShahBfd this is horrendous stuff! 😡https://t.co/2pyq48S6H7
— 🌈 Angela Rayner 🌈 (@AngelaRayner) June 19, 2020
Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North and the Shadow Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury, said: "Absolutely vile. Solidarity Naz Shah."
Absolutely vile. Solidarity @NazShahBfd x >>> Tory activist suspended for allegedly saying Muslim MP Naz Shah should 'go back to Pakistan'. https://t.co/1m7cH8MSH1
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) June 19, 2020
Steve Reed, Labour MP for Croydon North and Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government said: "Truly disgraceful that a Conservative activist has racially abused my friend and colleague Naz Shah.
"Islamophobic racism has no place in politics."
Truly disgraceful that a Conservative activist has racially abused my friend and colleague @NazShahBfd - Islamophobic racism has no place in politics https://t.co/J5XeKO0yuI
— Steve Reed (@SteveReedMP) June 19, 2020
The MCB had already showed its support for Ms Shah yesterday.
Harun Khan, Secretary General of the MCB said: "The Conservative Party's lack of action for the last 15 months after Ms Dickinson shared an Islamophobic conspiracy theory in response to the Christchurch terrorist attack, shows a serious problem with the Party.
"Now Ms Dickinson tells a Muslim MP 'why doesn't she go back to Pakistan'.
"Will this latest blatant racism elicit action?
"The party must reflect and consider why it chooses to ignore widespread concerns about its institutional Islamophobia - if a truly independent inquiry is not enacted with its recommendations implemented, there will be a drip-feed of these stories for a long time to come."
Ms Dickinson, who describes herself as a political communications and social media consultant, later apologised for the tweet.
She said: "I fully recognise how offensive it was, which is why I deleted the tweet almost immediately, though of course this does not excuse posting it in the first place.
"I have written to Ms Shah offering an unreserved apology."
The Tories, which have launched an independent inquiry into all forms of prejudice within the party, said Ms Dickinson had been suspended.
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