The Green Party has withdrawn its support for two more candidates in Newcastle ahead of this week's local elections, following concerns over alleged antisemitic social media posts. Philip Brookes, standing in Manor Park, and Mohammed Suleman, standing in Arthur's Hill, will no longer have party endorsement, although their names will remain on ballot papers.
A Facebook account linked to Dr Brookes reportedly contained a post about the Gaza war stating it "takes serious effort not to be a tiny bit antisemitic". It also shared an image of the Israeli flag being torn to reveal a Nazi swastika, and described Israel as "just a bunch of Polish, Russian, Hungarian terrorists killing Palestinian people for 76 years".
Mr Suleman reposted a TikTok video claiming Jewish prisoners of war were willing to bury Soviet prisoners alive under Nazi instruction during World War II. The video described Jews as "ungrateful, merciless, and without love". Additionally, Mr Suleman, a director of Fenham Properties Ltd, was fined for illegally burning waste at Pendower Hall in June 2025, an act Newcastle City Council called "environmental vandalism".
The Green Party confirmed the withdrawal of endorsement while the candidates are subject to a national disciplinary process. This follows the party's earlier withdrawal of support for Tina Ion, a candidate in Blakelaw and Cowgate, over alleged antisemitic posts. Green Party leader Zack Polanski said he condemned any antisemitism, adding that as a Jewish leader, it is personal to him, but stressed the importance of not conflating genuine antisemitism with legitimate criticism of the Israeli government.
