A junior doctor who joked about gassing “the Jews” on Twitter has been suspended from the British Medical Association (BMA).
Dr Martin Whyte, a paediatrician and deputy chair of the junior doctors’ committee, has been suspended pending investigation following tweets the BMA called “totally unacceptable”.
In response to a tweet about a synagogue shooting in 2018, Dr Whyte tweeted: “Hahaha zeig heil hahaha gas the jews hahaha just kidding but have you seen these youtube videos about the holohoax they’re pretty convincing imo [in my opinion].”
Dr Whyte also said people should boycott Israel “out of spite”, TheDaily Mail reports. He tweeted: “Lifehack: promise not to boycott Israel, but do it anyway. Do it out of spite,”
He also tweeted: “Me: It’s important to represent Judaism and Jewish people fairly and respectfully in art. Also me: Jew banker goblins.”
A BMA spokesperson said: “These tweets are totally unacceptable and we condemn them in the strongest possible terms. The views expressed in no way reflect the values of the BMA. Dr Martin Whyte has been removed from taking part in any and all BMA business with immediate effect and the BMA will be undertaking an external independent investigation.”
Mr Whyte’s Twitter account has now been closed.
In an email to junior doctors on Friday night, reported by TheDaily Mail, the BMA said: “There is absolutely no place in the BMA for anti-Semitism.”
It added: “We strive to be a tolerant, diverse and progressive organisation. We want to assure members that we treat anti-Semitism, and all forms of prejudice and discrimination, with the utmost seriousness.”
The Independent has approached Dr Martin Whyte for comment.
