BICOM

Liberal Democrat peer Baroness Jenny Tonge has resigned from the party after refusing to apologise for telling students at a meeting last week that Israel will not last forever and that it would “reap what it has sown.”

Baroness Tonge told an audience at Middlesex University in North London that, “Israel is not going to be there forever in its present form… One day, the American people are going to say to the Israel lobby in the USA: enough is enough. Israel will lose support and then they will reap what they have sown.”

According to the Guardian, Tonge told the party leadership that she could not apologise because she stood by her remarks. Clegg said in response, that “these remarks were wrong and offensive and do not reflect the values of the Liberal Democrats. I asked Baroness Tonge to withdraw her remarks and apologise for the offence she has caused. She has refused to do so and will now be leaving the party.”

Conservative and Labour MPs also condemned Tonge’s remarks. Conservative MP Robert Halfon said, “Baroness Tonge has an appalling record of strong anti-Israel rhetoric. Too often, these remarks carry an offensive anti-Semitic tone.” Labour party leader Ed Miliband said via twitter that there was “No place in politics for those who question existence of the state of Israel. ” Chancellor George Osborne, speaking at a  dinner organised by the Community Security Trust said, “I’ve got a message for Jenny Tonge. The state of Israel is going to be around a lot longer than you are, Jenny.”

Baroness Tonge will continue to sit in the House of Lords but will no longer sit on the party’s benches in the House.