Corbyn ally invited IRA apologist to Commons

A CLOSE ally of Jeremy Corbyn hosted a New IRA apologist at an event at the House of Commons months before the dissident Republican group murdered Lyra McKee.

Controversial MP Chris Williamson invited Gerry Downing to the November meeting, which called for the release of a convicted IRA member plus two men jailed for the murder of an Ulster policeman. After journalist Miss McKee’s murder – as she covered a riot in Londonderry – Mr Downing blamed ‘British crown forces’ for the riot.

Mr Downing, who runs the Irish Republican Prisoners Support Group, denied being an apologist for the New IRA. Mr Williamson was suspended by Labour in February as part of the anti-Semitism row.