AN Exeter delegate has been suspended from the NUS elections after complaints were made over his comments praising the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s reelection.
The comments were made by Maths undergraduate Jack Morewood at the 2019 NUS National Conference in Glasgow, where he was running as a candidate for the NUS National Executive Council Block 15 position. A video taken by Katie Racklyeft, a delegate at the conference, shows Morewood finishing his speech by praising Netanyahu. The crowd responded by jeering. Others began to chant ‘Free Palestine’.
Racklyeft tweeted a screenshot showing a response to an email of complaint regarding Morewood’s comments. The screenshot shows that the NUS have suspended Morewood’s candidacy while his conduct is reviewed.
The Screenshot showed that the NUS have suspended Morewood’s candidacy
Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has a controversial reputation for far-right policies. This year, the United Nations Human Rights Council passed a resolution to condemn the “apparent intentional use of unlawful lethal and other excessive force by Israel” in Gaza. Moreover, Netanyahu’s 2019 campaign included a promise to annexe the West Bank Territory, a key location in neutral territory that many commentators fear could endanger a two-state solution.
Exeposé contacted Morewood for comment. He confirmed “I was suspended at 5pm for a breach of code of conduct while it was investigated. DPC ruled that I had not violated the Code of Conduct. They resolved to issue a verbal warning. This was then appealed by the complainant. I remain suspended.”
A spokesperson from the NUS Press Office said “I can confirm that Jack Morewood has been suspended as a candidate pending a code of conduct investigation. We are unable to comment further until this investigation concludes.”
Correction: A previous edition of this article said the West Bank was located in Palestine. It is actually in neutral territory. The article has been amended.
