Nigel Farage issued a personal welcome to a former member of the far-left Socialist Labour Party who has defected to Reform UK.
But Jewish News has been alerted to a social media post in which Mandy Clare previously said she was “proud” to be associated with disgraced anti-Zionist ex-MP Chris Williamson.
Mandy Clare was among 29 councillors unveiled by Reform UK as recruits to the party in recent weeks.
Cllr Clare was a member of the Labour Party when first elected in Chester’s Winsford Dene ward in 2019, but had left in March 2022 to join the far-left Socialist Labour Party.
She was then a member of the Party of Women and the hyper-local Winsford Salt of the Earth Party, before settling as an independent in July 2024.
Following her defection, she has become a Reform UK Cheshire West and Chester Borough councillor.
Social media posts shown to Jewish News confirm that Clare had previously posted of disgust at “smears” that former Labour MP Williamson had faced claims over antisemitism.
Earlier this month at a press conference held to welcome her and 28 others to Reform UK, Farage said: “Mandy Clare is an ex-Labour councillor who led a campaign against transgender ideology eroding women’s rights, and she joins us on Cheshire West and Chester Council.
“She is very welcome.”
Cllr Mandy Clare (front left) pictured with Nigel Farage (front right) at press conference to announce 29 existing councillors have joined Reform UK (Image: Sky News)
On Thursday, Reform leader Farage told a Westminster journalists lunch that his party’s vetting procedures were now “tougher than Labour or Tories” following numerous scandals involving claims of antisemitism and racism ahead of the general election last year.
Williamson stood for election as an independent candidate in Derby North in the 2019 parliamentary election after he was suspended by Labour over antisemitism allegations, but lost in a seat he had represented since 2010.
Post by Mandy Clare defending Chris Williamson
He has gone on to make numerous inflammatory statements about Israel, and faced calls for a hate crime probe weeks after the Hamas October 7th atrocity, after he posted on X that “Israel has forfeited any right to exist”.
In her January 2023 post, Clare said: “Blocked the aggressive beard shit who accused Chris Williamson of AS ….. I am proud to be associated with Chris and happy to have nothing to do with anyone who buys into these smears.”
Asked if she still held such a view on Williamson, Clare told Jewish News on Friday:”It’s quite a complex thing isn’t it? It’s not a good time for me to discuss it right now.”
Asked again if she was “proud” to be associated to Williamson, Clare added:”I am in the middle of another project and this isn’t a good time.”
Jewish News can reveal that Clare’s former Socialist Labour Party states that Israel is a “fascist state” occupying land belonging to the Palestinian people.
Just one month after her post in support of Williamson, the ex MP was stripped of his Westminster pass over concerns about his links to Iranian state television.
Chris Williamson outside the Birmingham Civil Justice Centre where he lost his High Court bid to be reinstated to the Labour Party after he was suspended over allegations of anti-Semitism. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday October 10, 2019. The Derby North MP was suspended in February after he claimed that Labour had been “too apologetic” in response to criticism of its handling of anti-Semitism allegations. See PA story COURTS Williamson. Photo credit should read: Joe Giddens/PA Wire
Before his exit from Labour, Williamson had also said the party was “”too apologetic” over its attempt to tackle antisemitism.
Reform UK staged the press conference with 29 councillors from all over the UK who have joined the party, as they aimed to pick up seats in May’s local elections.
Reform UK have repeatedly attempted to win over support from the Jewish community, claiming they are staunch supporters of Israel in the fight against Hamas in Gaza.
They also claim to now be tougher on antisemitism than either Labour or the Tories.
Suella Braverman’s husband Rael was a high profile defector to the Reform from the Tories.
After joined Reform, Clare post on X on March 18:”People are joining Reform UK in droves and defecting from all political directions. Why?
“Are we all bigots? Or do people value this country and feel in desperate need of Hope? Labour stand for bullying and gender fictions that harm women and kids. ”
Jewish News has contacted Farage for comment over Clare’s posts in relation to Williamson.
