Furthering the controversy, journalist Charlotte Henry resigned from the Liberal Democrats on Wednesday, in partial response to Ward’s tweet. 

“I joined in 2009, becoming an intern for Don Foster MP,” she said. “There are few better ways to get a political education than chasing after Don. Since then I’ve campaigned and consulted for candidates, held senior roles in the youth wing, and stood for the London Assembly and my local council. However, I can no longer remain in the Liberal Democrats.”.

“The continuing presence of David Ward on the Lib Dem benches has long made my stomach turn,” she continued. “He has made repeated comments that I believe are anti-Semitic, and received almost no sanction from the party. Few party members see any real problems with what he says, some even defending him. Last night was the final straw for me, when he posted another highly offensive comment on social media after the horrific attacks in Jerusalem. Nothing will happen to him, he will remain a Lib Dem MP.”

“I cannot be in party that allows people to say the things David Ward has, and to continue unrepentant and unpunished,” she added. “I cannot be in a party in which the concerns of women are not respected properly.”

“There are wonderful people in the party who I hope to remain close to. However, I cannot stay a member of the Liberal Democrats, tacitly accepting anti-Semitism and misogyny, because I’m a liberal, and I’m against that sort of thing.”