A Tory councillor is set to ask his colleagues to come together to take a stand against anti-Semitism.

This comes after reports Reading Labour scrapped an anti-Semitism presentation in May.

Conservative Cllr Keith Baker will bring forward a motion to Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) which asks councillors to agree that the authority “abhors” attacks on Jewish residents and calls for support for anyone affected by anti-Semitic abuse.

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Cllr Baker told the News: “The increase in accusations, proved or otherwise, of anti-Semitism in our political system has reached a level now that I think any organisation, such as the council, should bring together a view that abhors anti-Semitism or any accusations against groups in our society and that it needs to be stamped out.”

He told councillors to ‘put their money where their mouth is’ when it comes to tackling anti-Semitism, Islamophobia and other forms of discrimination, but questioned whether the Wokingham Labour group would vote with him.

He added: “I’m not sure whether the Labour councillors will support it or whether they will take it in a politically tribal way.

“It (the motion) will give support for those people at the end of the anti-Semitic accusations and we just want them to know that they are not alone and we support them.

“We don’t agree with the accusations that are made and we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them and every other group.”

Cllr Baker is set to suggest “area is not immune” to anti-Semitism in his motion after recent reports involving the Reading Labour Party, but is set to add he “does not envy” the group in dealing with the matter at hand.

Responding to the motion, Labour councillor Andy Croy told the News: “We take anti-Semitism very seriously and we do everything we can to stamp it out.

“I don’t think Keith Baker’s intervention is particularly helpful.

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“The extent he cares about it is the extent to which he can weaponise it.

“We will look at the motion and any motion which condemns anti-Semitism will be welcomed.

“It is concerned with having a cheap shot at the Labour Party.”

Liberal Democrats councillor Lindsay Ferris added: “It is an interesting one because it is not the sort of motion we get at Wokingham – it is party political.

“The issue is quite serious and it seems to be partly aimed at certain councillors and I don’t think that’s quite fair.

“This motion should be about all hate crimes and not just anti-Semitism.”

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Councillors are set to vote on the motion when they meet on Thursday, July 18.