David Ward MP apologises for ‘unintended offence’

A LIBERAL Democrat MP facing disciplinary action after accusing “the Jews” of atrocities against Palestinians has issued a public apology for causing “unintended offence”.

David Ward’s comments – posted on his website – were condemned by party chiefs. He initially strongly defended the article and hit out at criticisms by the party, which has summoned him to the whip’s office for a meeting today.

In a new post, he said he “never for a moment intended to criticise or offend the Jewish people as a whole”. Mr Ward said that in raising the treatment of the Palestinians he had been “trying to make clear that everybody needs to learn the lessons of the Holocaust”.