Labour engulfed in anti-Semitism crisis as Archbishop adds to Rabbi's warning

WEST END FINAL

Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories, opinion and expert analysis

I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice.

Jeremy Corbyn was in an unprecedented election crisis today as the Archbishop of Canterbury backed the Chief Rabbi after his stinging criticism of Labour’s record on anti-Semitism.

Justin Welby issued a strong statement that Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis’s intervention should “alert us to the deep sense of insecurity and fear felt by many British Jews”.

The swift response by the leader of the Church of England drew unflattering comparisons to the Labour leader’s much-criticised handling of anti-Semitism scandals.

Wes Streeting, who is standing again to be MP for Ilford North, said he was “proud of my church and ashamed of my party”.

“This is how a real leader responds to the unprecedented statement by the Chief Rabbi,” said Mr Streeting on Twitter.

“I am an anti-racist and one of the reasons I am standing for re-election is to fight racism within my party. I am more sorry than words can say.”

More senior figures weighed in to back the Chief Rabbi’s claim that Mr Corbyn’s handling of the issue raised the question of whether he was fit to be prime minister.

Amanda Bowman, vice-president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the Chief Rabbi’s call was “sadly reflective of how many British Jews feel”.

She went on: “If this combination of disdain, injustice, incompetence and malevolence is how Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour Party treats a serious issue like anti-Jewish racism, voters are entitled to question how it will handle the other big issues that face the country.”

The extraordinary condemnation derailed Mr Corbyn’s launch this morning of Labour’s “race and faith manifesto” in north London, which was intended to showcase his personal commitment to opposing racism.

Chief Rabbi Mirvis wrote in The Times: “The way in which the [Labour] leadership has dealt with anti-Jewish racism is incompatible with the British values of which we are so proud — of dignity and respect for all people.

Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis launched a scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn, saying he is unfit for high office over his handling of anti-Semitism
REUTERS

He added: “When December 12 arrives, I ask every person to vote with their conscience. Be in no doubt, the very soul of our nation is at stake.”

Archbishop Welby threw his weight behind his counterpart, saying: “That the Chief Rabbi should be compelled to make such an unprecedented statement at this time ought to alert us to the deep sense of insecurity and fear felt by many British Jews.”

Mr Welby did not directly criticise Labour but in pointed comments he appeared to address the claim that Labour’s actions against abusive members has been half-hearted. He said: “Voicing words that commit to a stand against anti-Semitism requires a corresponding effort in visible action.”

The Archbishop stressed that “parties must make it an absolute priority to offer positive reassurance”.

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby
PA

However, Labour peer Lord Dubs, who arrived in the UK in 1939 aged six, having fled persecution in Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia, said the Chief Rabbi had “gone too far”.

He agreed that Labour had been “much too slow in getting to grips with this”, but went on: “I feel we are getting there ... and I think Jeremy Corbyn himself is personally hurt at the accusations of anti-Semitism.”

Lord Dubs told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I have a lot of respect for the Chief Rabbi... but I think today the Chief Rabbi has gone too far.”

Controversy over Labour’s measures against Left-wing activists and members who use anti-Semitic language and tropes has been mounting for three years, and the Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a formal investigation into whether the party “unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish”.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Jeremy Corbyn is a lifelong campaigner against anti-Semitism and has made absolutely clear it has no place in our party and society and that no one who engages in it does so in his name.

“A Labour government will guarantee the security of the Jewish community, defend and support the Jewish way of life, and combat rising anti-Semitism in our country and across Europe. Our race and faith manifesto, published today, sets out our policies to achieve this.”

The spokesperson added that complaints about anti-Semitism accounted for about 0.1 per cent of the Labour Party membership and claimed polls showed the problem was “more prevalent among Conservative than Labour supporters”.

General Election 2019 - In pictures

1/83

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in