Allies pressure Corbyn on anti-Semitism

JEREMy Corbyn is facing mounting pressure from some of his closest backers to climb down on anti-Semitism.

Momentum, the pro-Corbyn movement, and one of the largest unions have urged the Labour leader to do more to end the scandal engulfing the party.

They want him to adopt the globally recognised definition of anti-Semitism in full as part of Labour’s code of conduct. So far, Mr Corbyn has refused to adopt four of the examples, which include describing Israel as a ‘racist endeavour’, comparing the Israeli government’s policies to those of the Nazis and accusing Jewish people of having ‘dual loyalty’.

Momentum and the GMB union want him to give way at a meeting of Labour’s governing National Executive Committee next month. Jon Lansman, founder of Momentum, wants the NEC to adopt in full the international definition of anti-Semitism.

He told Jewish News that he ‘regretted’ that the Labour Party ‘lacked a firm commitment’ to include all 11 examples of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition (IHRA). And Tim Roache, GMB general secretary, told HuffPost: ‘It is clear that Labour has to accept IHRA examples of antiSemitism in full, while agreeing that criticising the Israeli government and supporting our Palestinian brothers and sisters is not being anti-Semitic.’