Accurate report

Four years ago, this newspaper was reprimanded by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso), the industry’s regulator. It was one of the first rulings of what was then a relatively new body set up in the wake of the Leveson inquiry. It described a front-page story reporting how senior Labour MPS had rounded on Jeremy Corbyn for being anti-semitic as “significantly misleading” and demanded that a correction be published. The complaint was brought by Ivan Lewis, then a member of the shadow cabinet, who had said that Mr Corbyn had “shown very poor judgment in expressing support for and failing to speak out against people who have engaged ... in anti-semitic rhetoric”.

Mr Lewis lodged a complaint that The Daily

Telegraph had misrepresented those comments, and he had not accused Mr Corbyn of antisemitism. His complaint was upheld by Ipso. In the Commons on Monday night, Mr Lewis – who now sits as an independent MP – accused Mr Corbyn of turning Labour into a “party of institutionalised anti-semitism”. He added: “A majority of Jews in this country feel they would not be safe in the event of [Mr Corbyn] becoming prime minister”.

This suggests two things. First, Mr Lewis’s original complaint may have been motivated by wariness at the time not to be seen directly criticising Mr Corbyn and the Telegraph’s report fairly reflected what he now acknowledges to be his views.

Second, was this really a matter for Ipso? It was established to help members of the public who feel they have been unfairly treated. Should it entertain complaints from MPS and political parties anxious to stifle criticism and keep members in line?