A Reading rabbi has called for a member of the local Labour Party to be expelled for ‘out-and-out racist’ comments.

The Reading and District Labour Party (RDLP) member reportedly said ‘I hate Jews’ more than a year ago but has not been removed from the party.

Laura Balogh allegedly made the comments in May 2018 but was not suspended by the party until after a Jewish Chronicle article revealed her comments a year later.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman confirmed an investigation is ongoing but no-one has been arrested.

TVP could not confirm nor deny Ms Balogh was the individual involved.

Rabbi Zvi Solomons, of the Jewish Community of Berkshire, said: “If they can expel Alistair Campbell for what he did and they say that they are anti-racist why haven’t they expelled an out-and-out racist?

“She should be removed.”

Ms Balogh was originally removed from the Reading and District Labour Party (RDLP) Facebook forum on May 24, 2018.

She allegedly wrote on May 16: “Well I hate Jews…Most Jews I’ve known have been the most materialistic, racist and transphobic bigots I’ve sadly to work with…Just a short step from Hitler, tables turned around.”

Reading Chronicle:

A similar statement was seen on the RDLP forum on May 24.

A screenshot shows this comment was deleted by then RDLP secretary Alison Foster, and Cllr Richard Davies removed Ms Balogh from the forum.

Alison Foster said she and others reported the comment.

Helen Caney, who became RDLP secretary in June 2018, said she approved Ms Balogh back into the forum in January 2019 as there was no note of her being suspended or any flags against her name.

“There was no record of why she had been removed,” said Ms Caney.

“If Laura’s post was reported to the party last year and the person was not expelled, I am appalled. It is disgusting.”

Screenshots of the comments were published in the Jewish Chronicle last month and Ms Caney removed Ms Balogh from the group and reported her to the regional and national party on May 22.

Ms Caney has now written a note that says she was removed because of evidence of anti-Semitism coming to light.

“If that was done last year, she would never have come back into the forum,” said Ms Caney.

“Cllr Adele Barnett-Ward tweeted that she reported the post last year.

“If it was reported last year and somebody decided that something needed to happen surely there should have been a record of that.”

The Jewish Chronicle reported that Ms Caney had allowed Ms Balogh back into the Facebook group after the ‘I hate Jews’ comment.

The RDLP secretary said: “When you see your name in the Jewish Chronicle like that it is upsetting and horrible. It is unbelievable.

“I do not feel that I can put my views across since the Jewish Chronicle article.”

She said whoever is leaking to the Jewish Chronicle is not helping RDLP and not helping the Labour Party.

“It all seems to be related to an attempt to smear,” she said.

“If someone had a screenshot, why did they not send it in January?”

Jason Brock, leader of Reading Borough Council (RBC), said: “Anti-Semitism or any kind of bullying has to be dealt with; nationally and locally. I am always willing to support party officers. "It is something that needs to be dealt with and I am confident that the party structures can do that. We always have done in the past.”

Mo McSevney, chair of RDLP, said: “I cannot comment on individual cases."

Ms Balogh was approached for a comment but could not be reached at the time of publication.

Labour Party South East was approached for a comment but did not respond.