Warwick: Tory student group apologises over video ‘showing members singing and dancing to Nazi song’

Published

1 year ago

June 30, 2024

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A Tory student group has apologised after a video reportedly showed its members singing and dancing to a Nazi marching song.

The clip, taken at a chairman’s dinner at the University of Warwick Conservatives Association two weeks ago, shows people singing Erika – a song that was used by the armed forces of Nazi Germany.

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The Sunday Times, which obtained the footage, said it shows several members of the association dancing and laughing as the song plays on the sound system.

The footage ends after one member sees the camera and says: “Don’t film!”, according to the newspaper.

In a statement, the University of Warwick Conservatives Association said it “wholeheartedly condemns the behaviour exhibited during this video and apologises for any offence that has been caused”.

It said most of those in the video “were completely unaware of the origins and connotations of the song”, but the member who asked for the song to be played would no longer be welcome at its events.

The association said a person heard “actively singing lyrics” was not a member but “has been barred from future events along with others”.

However, it rejected allegations of being a “toxic society” that “normalises racism”.

The association said its members have “consistently campaigned against antisemitism on campus, including campaigning to disaffiliate Warwick Student’s Union from the National Union of Students over its failure to deal with antisemitism”.

“Our members have also worked hard to ensure the Students Union commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day in a fitting way,” it added.

“We are proud of these efforts and will continue to stand against discrimination.”

The Union of Jewish Students called the video “utterly abhorrent” and a “blatant and unchallenged support for Nazism”, as it called on the Tory Party to take action.

A spokesperson for the Conservative Party said the student group was not affiliated to it.

“There is no place for racism in the Conservative Party and we will always ensure appropriate action is taken against any member who acts in ways that are not in accordance with our values of tolerance and respect,” the spokesperson added.

A spokesperson for Warwick University said: “We have been made aware of this video and the allegations surrounding it, which are extremely troubling.

“Behaviour like this is reprehensible and we are disappointed to see our students involved.

“The university is reviewing the material disclosed to us via our reporting service and has notified the Student’s Union.

“We have requested a meeting with the Jewish Society to assist with our review.”

Politics

MP Zarah Sultana who was ousted from Labour announces she is starting new political party with Jeremy Corbyn

Published

7 hours ago

July 3, 2025

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MP Zarah Sultana who was ousted from Labour announces she is starting new political party with Jeremy Corbyn

An MP who was ousted from the Labour Party has announced she is setting up a new political party with Jeremy Corbyn.

Independent MP Zarah Sultana said she and the former Labour leader will co-lead the new party, which she did not provide a name for.

She said other independent MPs, campaigners and activists from across the country will join them, but did not name anyone.

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Ms Sultana also said she was “resigning” from the Labour Party after 14 years.

She was suspended as a Labour MP shortly after they came to power last summer for voting against the government maintaining the two-child benefit cap.

Several others from the left of the party, including Mr Corbyn, were also suspended for voting against the government, and also remained as independent MPs.

However, Ms Sultana was still a member of the Labour Party – until now.

Mr Corbyn has previously said the independent MPs who were suspended from Labour would “come together” to provide an “alternative.

The other four are: Iqbal Mohamed, Shockat Adam, Ayoub Khan and Adnan Hussain.

Mr Corbyn and the other four independents have not said if they are part of the new party Ms Sultana announced.

In her announcement, Ms Sultana said she would vote to abolish the two-child benefit cap again and also voted against scrapping the winter fuel payment for most pensioners.

Ms Sultana also voted against the government’s welfare bill this week, which was heavily watered down as Sir Keir Starmer tried to prevent a major rebellion from his own MPs.

On Wednesday, Ms Sultana spoke passionately against Palestine Action being proscribed as a terror organisation – but MPs eventually voted for it to be.

She said to proscribe it is “a deliberate distortion of the law to chill dissent, criminalise solidarity and suppress the truth”.

Ms Sultana said they were founding the new party because “Westminster is broken but the real crisis is deeper – just 50 families now own more wealth than half the UK population”.

She called Reform leader Nigel Farage “a billionaire-backed grifter” leading the polls “because Labour has completely failed to improve people’s lives.

The MP, who has spoken passionately about Gaza, added: “Across the political establishment, from Farage to Starmer, they smear people of conscience trying to stop a genocide in Gaza as terrorists.

“But the truth is clear: this government is an active participant in genocide. And the British people oppose it.

“We are not going to take this anymore.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “In just 12 months, this Labour government has boosted wages, delivered an extra four million NHS appointments, opened 750 free breakfast clubs, secured three trade deals and four interest rate cuts lowering mortgage payments for millions.

“Only Labour can deliver the change needed to renew Britain.”