Jeremy Corbyn was barracked with cries of “shame” as he began his final week of the Labour leadership contest at a hustings of Jewish groups in North London.
The Labour leader was forced to say he would back proposals from the Jewish Labour Movement to elevate racism and anti-Semitism to more serious offences in the party’s rule book when they go before the National Executive Committee tomorrow.
After a year dogged by the suspensions of former London mayor Ken Livingstone and MP Naz Shah over claims of anti-Semitism, getting Labour members to adopt the new rules at conference would be a symbolic first move for Mr Corbyn if he wins the leadership contest this Saturday (September 25).
However ahead of his final week battling challenger Owen Smith MP, Mr Corbyn was heckled by audience members at a North London Jewish cultural centre for not following through on disciplinary action against certain members.
During the last election hustings, Mr Corbyn was forced to deny there had been a cover-up at a top university’s Labour club investigated for anti-Semitism after being confronted by former President of Oxford University Jewish Society Aaron Simons.
The student claimed six months on from the initial allegations, and despite Baroness Royall’s report that concluded there had been anti-Semitic behaviour at Oxford University’s Labour Club, no-one has been held to account.
Speaking at the JW3 centre in Finchley, Mr Corbyn said: “As you know an inquiry was done into Oxford University Labour Club and that was report was given to the National Executive - no, it’s not a cover-up - and then it was brought in with the Chakrabati inquiry.
"Those issues are still being investigated.”
Mr Simons told the Evening Standard: “It’s ridiculous for it to take six months and still nothing happens. It’s woefully inadequate.”
Mr Corbyn is widely expected to see off a leadership challenge from Mr Smith and retain his position as party leader, but he is expected to face further criticism from MPs when Channel 4 airs its Dispatches investigation on Momentum, the group running his campaign.
A guest speaker at one of their events, Mark Sandell, is filmed suggesting there will be “redundancy notices” heading for certain Labour members, likely to fuel fears a number of MPs will face deselection.
This morning Mr Corbyn told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme he would reach out to everyone in the party.
He said: “I have made it my business to talk to quite a lot of Labour MPs, and will continue to do so.”
But added: “I hope they will understand that we’ve been elected as Labour MPs … it’s a huge honour and responsibility and we’ve got to try and deliver for the people.”
London MP Neil Coyle, an outspoken critic of Mr Corbyn, told the radio show that he remains unimpressed at Mr Corbyn’s efforts to unite the party after last week being named on a disloyalty “hit list” that was leaked from Mr Corbyn’s campaign team.
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