Naz Shah Quits Home Affairs Select Committee Until Labour's Investigation Is Completed

The MP for Bradford West, who was suspended from the party last week over allegations of anti-Semitism, told a panel of MPs she will step aside while an investigation into the matter is underway.

Pa / PA WIRE

MPs have agreed to excuse Naz Shah from her role on the home affairs select committee until a Labour party investigation into her actions has concluded.

There was speculation as to whether Shah, who was last week suspended from the Labour party, would continue to sit on the committee, including in an inquiry on the rise of anti-Semitism.

But on Tuesday, Shah told MPs that she would like to excuse herself until an investigation by the Labour party into her actions is completed, and her position within the party is clarified.

MPs agreed to let her step aside, according to Labour MP Keith Vaz, the committee's chairman. “We have accepted her decision," he said. "She will not take part in any future matters concerning the home affairs select committee with immediate effect, until further notice."

Explaining the course of action to BuzzFeed News, Shah said: "I felt it was only appropriate that I step aside while matters are dealt with.”

Vaz said the committee will now launch an inquiry into anti-Semitism and would be calling a series of witnesses, including prime minister David Cameron, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson, former London mayor Ken Livingstone, and a number of community groups.

Shah, the MP for Bradford West, was suspended by her party after it was revealed she had shared an image on Facebook before she was an MP that suggested relocating Israel to the US would be a “solution for [the] Israel-Palestine conflict”.

In an apology following a public outcry, Shah said she realised that “referring to Israel and Hitler as I did is deeply offensive to Jewish people for which I apologise”.

“The manner and tone of what I wrote in haste is not excusable,” she said. “With the understanding of the issues I have now I would never have posted them. I have to own up to the fact that ignorance is not a defence.

“If politicians put their hands up when they get something wrong it would help to restore faith in politics. I hope that by writing to those who I have hurt, I am practising as I preach and calling myself out."