Corbyn ally in drunk Jews song allegation

VLABOUR’S INTERNATIONAL Development spokesman Dan Carden has denied indulging in antisemitic behaviour after he was accused of singing “Hey Jews” to the tune of the Beatles song

on a coach. A journalist with the online news site has said he heard Mr Carden, the MP for Liverpool Walton, change the lyrics on a late-night trip back from Cheltenham races in March 2018.

Alex Wickham said he was sitting behind Mr Carden, who was a junior shadow minister at the time of the alleged incident.

Mr Carden had

Dan Carden

“repeatedly” substituted the words “Hey Jews” in the chorus, Mr Wickham said.

“When the chorus reached the word ‘Jude’, Carden chanted at the top of his voice; ‘Jews, Jews, Jews.’”

explained it had brought the story to light following fresh allegations of antisemitism against Labour candidates in recent days. But in a statement on Twitter, Mr Carden denied any suggestion of antisemitism. He wrote that he had been “categorical in my denial about allegations relating to a coach trip some 20 months ago.

“This was a coach full of journalists and MPs. If anyone genuinely believed any antisemitic behaviour had taken place, they would’ve had a moral responsibility to report it immediately.”

He said the allegation had been only made now with an election imminent and he stood by his record as an anti-racist campaigner.

The however, said it had obtained WhatsApp messages from the time of the journey that “appear to corroborate” Mr Wickham’s account.

The messages allege that Mr Carden had drunkenly joined in “antisemitic and homophobic” songs.

Dave Rich, the CST’s head of policy, tweeted that Mr Carden’s response had been “strangely worded…If he didn’t sing it, just say so. And if he did, it’s irrelevant what anyone else did or didn’t do when they heard it.”