‘Anti-Semitic’ jibes by Corbyn’s donors
Supporters raise cash to defend him in court battle
‘Comments are very worrying’
JEREMY Corbyn supporters who have raised £170,000 to fight a potential legal battle with the BBC have been accused of leaving anti-Semitic messages online.
BBC journalist John Ware is considering legal action against the former Labour leader over alleged personal attacks on his integrity.
He said: ‘I am advised that what has been said by Jeremy Corbyn and some others is potentially defamatory. I am considering carefully my options.’
In response to the threat of action, Mr Corbyn’s supporters started a crowdfunding page to raise cash for his defence. Some also posted comments alongside donations that include accusations that Israel is a ‘racist’ state.
The row began over a BBC Panorama documentary ‘Is Labour anti-Semitic?’ in July 2019 which included the testimony of former Labour staff who spoke about the crisis engulfing the party.
After the programme was shown Labour questioned the integrity of the whistleblowers and of Mr Ware. The Labour Party apologised this week and said it would pay ‘substantial damages’ to seven former Labour staff who gave testimony. It also issued an unreserved apology over ‘defamatory and false allegations’ made after the probe.
But Mr Corbyn blasted the decision, saying: ‘The party’s decision to apologise today and make substantial payments to former staff who sued the party in relation to last year’s Panorama programme is a political decision, not a legal one.’
More than 7,600 donors have pledged cash towards Jeremy’s Legal Fund, helping to raise more than £166,000 for the former Labour leader within 24 hours.
Some have branded opponents of Mr Corbyn as ‘animals’ and ‘fascist scum’. There were also repeated denials the Labour Party has been poisoned by anti-Semitism.
Ian Austin, chairman of antiextremism campaign group Mainstream, said some of the comments were ‘extremely worrying’. He urged the former leader to read the list and hand back donations from anyone expressing unacceptable views.
Eisa Ali, who donated £100 to the campaign, said: ‘Zionism is a racist ideology that has seen millions of Arab lives destroyed based on nothing but the fact they weren’t Jewish.’ One £10 donor, Barry Hodges, declared: ‘It’s time to stand up against false anti-Semitism used as a political weapon to smear decent people and silence valid criticism of the way Israel abuses Palestinians.’
Mr Austin said: ‘Reading through some of the comments ... is extremely worrying and shows the scale of the challenge facing Keir Starmer to root out extremism within the Labour Party.’
The Islington North Labour Party wrote on Twitter: ‘A lot of people are querying whether the below fundraiser is legitimate – it was started by a supporter Carole Morgan in good faith and we can confirm Jeremy and his team are now in touch with her.’ In April, Mainstream urged new Labour leader Keir Starmer to settle the legal action with the whistleblowers and this week welcomed the party’s decision to apologise.
A Labour spokesman said last night: ‘The Labour Party takes all complaints of anti- Semitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated.’