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Ex-Lib Dem MP David Ward sacked as candidate Ex-Lib Dem MP David Ward sacked as candidate
(35 minutes later)
Ex-MP David Ward has been sacked as a Lib Dem general election candidate, party leader Tim Farron says.Ex-MP David Ward has been sacked as a Lib Dem general election candidate, party leader Tim Farron says.
Mr Ward, who planned to stand in Bradford East - the seat he lost in the last election - caused controversy in 2013 when he accused "the Jews" of atrocities against Palestinians.Mr Ward, who planned to stand in Bradford East - the seat he lost in the last election - caused controversy in 2013 when he accused "the Jews" of atrocities against Palestinians.
His party membership is suspended and an independent panel will investigate him fully after the election. His party membership has been suspended and an independent panel will carry out an investigation after the election.
Mr Farron said he believes in "open, tolerant and united" politics. Mr Ward expressed "sadness" over his sacking and denied being anti-Semitic.
But Mr Farron said he was unfit to represent the party, adding: "I believe in a politics that is open, tolerant and united."
His decision was welcomed by the Jewish Leadership Council, which called Mr Ward "an unrepentant serial offender".
In 2013, Mr Ward posted a tweet calling the Israel an "apartheid state" and saying that "Zionists" were "losing the battle".
Mr Ward refused to apologise at the time and had the party whip withdrawn.
He also recently tweeted that "all terrorist attacks in UK stem from our foreign policy", following the Westminster terror attack.
Speaking during a campaign visit to St Albans before the sacking, Mr Farron said he was "utterly passionate in tackling and fighting anti-Semitism".
He criticised Mr Ward's comments, and added: "I've been very very clear that we will have absolutely no tolerance - zero tolerance - of anti-Semitic remarks."
Mr Ward has previously said that neither he nor his comments had been anti-Semitic.
Following his sacking, he told the BBC: "Supporters of Israel are using this as a tactic. It's an attempt to stop supporters of the Palestinians getting into parliament."
Mr Ward's removal as a candidate came shortly after Theresa May criticised his selection during Prime Minister's Questions.
Responding to a question from Sir Eric Pickles - a long time campaigner against anti-Semitism - she said "people would be rightly disappointed to see the Liberal Democrats re-elect a candidate with a questionable record on anti-Semitism".