A dramatic confrontation unfolded in the House of Commons as senior SNP MP Pete Wishart publicly challenged Conservative colleague Bob Blackman over sharing social media content from a figure with virulently antisemitic views.
Parliamentary Showdown
During a debate on MP conduct, Mr Wishart directly addressed Mr Blackman, who serves as joint secretary of the influential 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs. The Scottish National Party representative highlighted how the Harrow East MP had shared a post by activist Dilip Sarkar, who has previously expressed deeply offensive views about Jewish people.
"I would gently say to the honourable gentleman that he needs to be a little bit careful about what he posts and who he supports on social media," Mr Wishart declared across the chamber, creating palpable tension among MPs.
Content from Controversial Source
The social media post in question had praised Mr Blackman for his stance on a separate issue. However, Mr Sarkar's history includes claiming that "Jewish, or Zionist, influence" controlled the UK Labour Party under previous leadership.
Mr Blackman had previously faced criticism for other social media controversies, including sharing an article from a far-right group and endorsing content that was critical of Islam.
Defensive Response
In response to the confrontation, Mr Blackman defended his actions, stating he was unaware of Mr Sarkar's antisemitic views when he shared the content. "I had no knowledge of that individual's background whatsoever," the Conservative MP insisted.
He maintained that the post itself contained "no antisemitic content" and that he had promptly deleted it upon learning about the author's background, though this deletion reportedly occurred several days after the original sharing.
Broader Implications for MP Conduct
The exchange occurred during a wider debate about updating the MP code of conduct, highlighting growing concerns about parliamentarians' social media activity and their associations online.
This incident raises serious questions about the due diligence MPs must exercise regarding their digital presence and the sources they amplify to their thousands of followers.
As Parliament continues to grapple with modern challenges of online behaviour, this confrontation between two senior MPs underscores the ongoing tension between free expression and responsible conduct in the digital age.
