Jeremy Corbyn attacked by MPs as anti-Semitism storm threatens to tear Labour apart

Labour leader accused of breaching 'normal decency' by hosting meeting where Israel's actions in Gaza were compared to Nazis
Jeremy Corbyn apologised for hosting a meeting about the Holocaust in 2010
REUTERS
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Jeremy Corbyn came under personal attack today for his handling of the anti-Semitism storm raging within the Labour Party.

The Labour leader was accused of breaching any “form of normal decency” by hosting a meeting at which Israel’s actions in Gaza were reportedly compared to the Nazis.

He was also condemned for allegedly sitting “silent throughout” an outburst at a meeting by one of his allies who blamed Jewish “Trump fanatics” for fuelling the anti-Semitism row.

Writing in today's Evening Standard, Labour backbencher Ian Austin said he felt “deeply ashamed” by the failure by party chiefs to properly tackle anti-Semitism among its members.

Even, Mr Corbyn’s allies are now urging him to get a grip on the dispute which one MP had left many in the Jewish community feeling that Labour had “declared war on it”.

Shameful: Jeremy Corbyn is accused of failing to properly tackle anti-Semitism among Labour members

The spotlight of the row turned on Mr Corbyn today after it emerged that he hosted an event in 2010 in the Commons, on Holocaust Memorial Day, which was called “Never Again for Anyone - from Auschwitz to Gaza”.

Speakers reportedly compared Israeli actions in Gaza to the killing of millions of Jewish people during the Holocaust.

Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if hosting such an event breached rules on tackling anti-Semitism, Labour MP John Mann said: “Of course it does, and it breaches any form of normal decency.”

Mr Mann, chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on anti-Semitism, said Labour was in a “terrible situation” with the Jewish community.

“In essence, the Labour party is being seen by most in the Jewish community to have declared war on it,” he added.

 Jeremy Corbyn is being urged to ensure his ally Peter Willsman is not re-elected to the party's ruling body

He urged Mr Corbyn to resolve the row over Labour’s code of conduct on dealing with anti-Semitism and to ensure his ally Peter Willsman is not re-elected to the party’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee.

Mr Willsman launched a startling rant at a recent meeting of the NEC during which he made the Trump fanatics” comment and said rabbis should provide “evidence of severe and widespread anti-Semitism” reported to be taking place in the party.

Mr Austin, whose adoptive father was a Jewish refugee, said: “This wasn’t an obscure meeting in the back room of a pub. It was Labour’s most senor committee, and Jeremy Corbyn who promised to be a “militant opponent of antisemitism” sat silent throughout.”

He said of his party’s failure to properly tackle anti-Semitism: “The truth is that I am deeply ashamed.”

In a statement, Mr Corbyn gave details of the meeting, saying: “The main speaker at this Holocaust Memorial Day meeting, part of a tour entitled “never again - for anyone”, was a Jewish Auschwitz survivor. Views were expressed at the meeting which I do not accept or condone.

“In the past, in pursuit of justice for the Palestinian people and peace in Israel/Palestine, I have on occasion appeared on platforms with people whose views I completely reject. I apologise for the concerns and anxiety that this has caused.”

A Labour spokesman added: “The Labour Party is committed to tackling and eradicating antisemitism in all its forms, in our party and our society.”

However, even Mr Corbyn’s allies are now urging him to act more decisively, including in the row on the party stopping short of adopting the full definition of anti-Semitism as drawn up by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

Ann Black, who is also standing for re-election to the NEC and chairwoman of Labour’s national policy forum, urged him to “heed the advice” of shadow Cabinet members on resolving the dispute.

“I do not belive that Jeremy Corbyn is in any way racist or anti-Semitic.

“I do believe that he has the authority and ability to break the current impasse where you have an NEC code of conduct the IHRA definition.”

She added that the two are “sufficiently close” to bridge the gap.

Mr Willsman has apologised for his comments.

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