"Earlier today I tweeted a petition about an Islington Council ban against the Blockheads performing with their chosen line-up. The council has blocked jazz musician Gilad Atzmon from playing with the group [...] Since then I've learned that Atzmon, a former Israeli soldier, is not confined to the jazz world. I am told that in various blogs and in speeches he has adopted anti-Semitic language. [...] I wasn't aware of this until after I tweeted the petition. As soon as I was informed, I deleted the tweet. I've always condemned all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism, and strongly disassociate myself from Atzmon's anti-Semitic views. I therefore apologise for tweeting this petition and any distress or offence it may have caused."
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Tweets cited in "Labour MP sorry for backing musician accused of anti-Semitism" BBC News (21 December 2018).
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Chris_Williamson_(politician)
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Chris Williamson (politician)
Christopher Williamson (born 16 September 1956) is a former British member of parliament for Derby North which he represented from 2010 to 2015 and 2017 to 2019. Elected as a Labour Party MP, he was barred from standing as a Labour candidate in the 2019 general election following his suspension for comments about Antisemitism in the Labour Party. He stood as an independent, but did not retain his seat and lost his deposit. Williamson hosts the programme Palestine Declassified on the Iranian gove
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