A British candidate for local office referred to Labour Party leader Ed Miliband as "the Jew." Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – A British candidate for local political office in the village of Littleover within the suburb of Derby has been suspended ahead of the May 7 United Kingdom parliamentary election after a comment she made on Facebook referring to Labour Party leader Ed Miliband, who is Jewish, as “the Jew.”

In her Facebook comment, council candidate Gulzabeen Afsar of the Conservative Party wrote that she “just can’t take Mr Ed Miliband seriously!” and that “Never ever will I drop that low and support the Al Yahud!” Al Yahud means “the Jew” in Arabic. She later apologized and removed the post.

But the chairman of the local Conservative Party association, Philip Hickson, said in a statement that “there is no place in the Conservative Party for these comments or attitudes either in Derby or anywhere else.”

“The comment was offensive and totally unacceptable and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances,” said Hickson, the BBC reported.

The Derby Labour Party added that it is “terrifying” that a Conservative candidate would make such a comment, especially at a time of rising antisemitism in Europe.

“Derby Conservatives should launch an immediate investigation into this incident and take the appropriate action. Derby must be free from prejudice, especially from those seeking elected office,” a Labour spokesperson said, according to the International Business Times.