Labour leadership hopefuls spar over anti-Semitism

THE first hustings of the Labour leadership battle saw contenders clash over the way the party has dealt with anti-Semitism.

Backbencher Jess Phillips and shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry appeared to spar during the hustings as part of the race to replace Jeremy Corbyn.

Birmingham Yardley MP Ms Phillips took a swipe at some of her fellow contenders for “keeping quiet” over anti-Semitism in the party.

She said: “The Labour Party needs a leader who has spoken out against anti-Semitism, and other forms of harassment in fact. When others were keeping quiet and somebody who was in the room, struggling for an independent system – lots and lots of meetings – I have to say I don’t remember some of the people here being in that particular room or being in those particular fights.”

Ms Phillips said the Labour Party’s handling of anti-Semitism had meant it had lost the “moral high ground” to fight racism.

In a direct response to Ms Phillips, Ms Thornberry insisted she had always been firm in standing up against racism.

She said the Labour Party should kick out anti-Semites in the same way “Oswald Mosley was kicked out of Liverpool”. Ms Thornberry said: “I tell you what Jess (Phillips), I have always been clear about it and I always will because it’s unacceptable, it undermines us as a party and undermines our soul.”

All five candidates for the top job issued pleas for unity at the start of the event after last month’s humiliation at the polls.