Tory MP Urges Anti-Semitic Desecration

As some statues are hauled down by a variety of means, and others are boarded up - note that the protests about the Churchill statue opposite Parliament do not extend to the similar treatment given to that nearby commemorating Nelson Mandela - some out there on the right have decided to have a dig at the Rotten Lefties™, suggesting that monuments which celebrate figures on the left should also be removed.

Henry Smith MP

One of those so suggesting, and in doing so demonstrating that he would be best advised to speak slowly, and thus not race ahead of his intellectual capacity, is Crawley’s Tory MP Henry Smith, who has targeted what he clearly thinks is the ultimate lefty monument. Sadly, all he has done is to join the list of Tories dabbling in anti-Semitism.

So it was that he told his followers “Mayor of London Monument Removal Application: Location: Memorial in Highgate … Subject: Karl Marx … Reason: Promotion of an ideology leading to mass oppression and the death of over 100 million people last century; anti-Semite … Comments: This must meet the criteria, right?”. Laugh? I thought I’d never start.

Marx was Jewish. Worse, what Smith calls a “monument” is in fact the site of Marx’ resting place in Highgate Cemetery. Moreover, it is also the final resting place of his wife Jenny von Westphalen, the couple’s daughter, and their grandson. Worse still, Marx was long dead when his name was used to promote what Smith calls “an ideology”. All he is doing is urging the desecration of a grave. A Jewish grave. So where is the outrage?

But then, this is a Tory we’re talking about, and so the likes of “Lord” John Mann, Ian Austin, Desperate Dan Hodges and the rest will not be saying boo about it. Despite the anti-Semitic overtones and the inconvenient fact that the cemetery is Grade I listed.

Ordinary Tweeters, though, were not so reticent, with Another Angry Woman asking “Desecration of the grave of a Jewish man, is it?” Matt Lodder had the same thought: “You're advocating for desecrating a Jewish gravesite, Henry. Do I have that right?”

Adam Frankenberg wanted to know “Isn't that a grave rather than a statue? I get your point. But calling, in effect, for people to go smash up a grave is probably not a good idea. Especially as it's a grave of a Jewish person (albeit a non religious one) but people do have a tendency to smash up our graves”. Steve Analyst also had a question.

“Are you trying to get more followers by being deliberately wacky, Henry? Are you that starved for attention that you've decided to be the class clown to get noticed? Or is this some Trumpish attempt to rise to prominence by saying stupid things? It's one of those, which one?” Mike Hinde concluded “You belong on 4chan Henry, not in Parliament”.

And Rufus Hound put it directly. Very directly. “You really don't care how big a bellend you look, do you?” Smith must have thought he was being terribly clever. But he wasn’t.

Tories do seem to get away with dabbling in anti-Semitism. I’ll just leave that one there.

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