Pro-palestinian group linked to Corbyn ‘supported by anti-semites’

THE Labour Party was last night accused of failing to deal with a backlog of 74 allegations of anti-jewish sentiment.

Labour MP John Mann also claimed he knew of further cases, as Jeremy Corbyn was called upon to consider expelling party members. A party spokesman said complaints were taken “extremely seriously” and are “fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures”.

It comes on the day that a report claims a pro-palestinian lobbying group championed by Mr Corbyn is supported by Holocaust deniers.

Activists with the Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) are accused of harbouring “hard core anti-semitic ideology”, says the study. It suggests that at some PSC branches, some activists were found to have promoted “Holocaust denial”, “global Jewish conspiracies” and “classic anti-semitic tropes”.

The study, which looked at social media posts by activists and PSC supporters, prompted calls for Mr Corbyn to quit as a PSC patron. He is reeling from claims he has turned a blind eye to anti-semitic views within Labour and has now apologised. David Collier, author of the study, said: “There is a major problem with some of the activists who buy into a vision that a global Zionist elite is responsible for many of the world’s problems.”

The report found no evidence that the group’s current core leadership had expressed anti-semitic views.

The PSC, which insists it is opposed to anti-semitism, said the “large majority of those cited in Mr Collier’s report are not PSC members”. The study claims to have found evidence of racism, including Holocaust denial, among postings from activists at 17 branches.

A PSC spokesman said: “The Palestine Solidarity Campaign works to highlight the systematic human rights abuses suffered by Palestinians. Our work and values are guided by our dedication to the principles of peace, equality and justice, and are fundamentally underpinned by an opposition to all form of racism, including anti-semitism.” It went on: “We have and will take action against any member guilty of Holocaust denial or spreading conspiracy theories that perpetuates anti-semitic tropes.”

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: “Jeremy condemns anti-semitism in the strongest possible terms. Anti-semitism is morally wrong, harms Jewish people and undermines the Palestinian cause. Jeremy’s message is clear: anti-semitism has no place in our movement.”