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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Corbyn 'forgot' meeting banned pro-Palestinian activist | Corbyn 'forgot' meeting banned pro-Palestinian activist |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour leadership contender Jeremy Corbyn has told the BBC he had "forgotten" meeting a controversial Lebanese activist. | |
| Mr Corbyn initially told BBC Radio 4's World at One programme he had no idea who Dyab Abou Jahjah was. | |
| He later said he must have forgotten meeting Mr Abou Jahjah, who is banned from the UK over his views on the Middle East, in 2009. | |
| Mr Corbyn has rejected "disgusting" claims he is anti-Semitic. | |
| Leadership rival Liz Kendall said Mr Corbyn had "questions to answer" about his approach to achieving peace in the Middle East. | |
| 'Political friend' | 'Political friend' |
| Responding on Twitter to Mr Corbyn's claim not to know him, Mr Abou Jahjah said: "Whatever reasons made Mr Corbyn say this are for him to know and for us to guess." | Responding on Twitter to Mr Corbyn's claim not to know him, Mr Abou Jahjah said: "Whatever reasons made Mr Corbyn say this are for him to know and for us to guess." |
| That they shared a platform was "beyond any doubt and is documented and resulted in my ban to enter the UK". | That they shared a platform was "beyond any doubt and is documented and resulted in my ban to enter the UK". |
| "But maybe he forgot all about it," he said. "Who knows?" | "But maybe he forgot all about it," he said. "Who knows?" |
| The pro-Palestinian activist told LBC radio he had also been present at meals with the MP during the 2009 visit. | The pro-Palestinian activist told LBC radio he had also been present at meals with the MP during the 2009 visit. |
| "We had, I think two times, lunch or breakfast together, so I cannot say that Mr Corbyn is a personal friend, but he is absolutely a political friend." | "We had, I think two times, lunch or breakfast together, so I cannot say that Mr Corbyn is a personal friend, but he is absolutely a political friend." |
| Asked whether he had met Mr Abou Jahjah, Mr Corbyn told the BBC: "No. I saw the name this morning and I asked somebody, 'Who is he?"' | |
| He added: "I'm sorry, I don't know who this person is." | He added: "I'm sorry, I don't know who this person is." |
| 'Beyond appalling' | 'Beyond appalling' |
| But he later issued a statement saying: "My staff have researched this and tell me that I did meet this man in 2009, but I have no recollection of him. | But he later issued a statement saying: "My staff have researched this and tell me that I did meet this man in 2009, but I have no recollection of him. |
| "As an MP, over the years I meet many thousands of people, and just because I meet them it doesn't mean that I share their views or endorse their beliefs." | "As an MP, over the years I meet many thousands of people, and just because I meet them it doesn't mean that I share their views or endorse their beliefs." |
| Mr Corbyn was also questioned about alleged anti-Semitic comments by his supporters on social media. | |
| He said: "The idea that I'm some kind of racist or anti-Semitic person is beyond appalling, disgusting and deeply offensive. | He said: "The idea that I'm some kind of racist or anti-Semitic person is beyond appalling, disgusting and deeply offensive. |
| "I have spent my life opposing racism. Until my dying day, I will be opposed to racism in any form." | "I have spent my life opposing racism. Until my dying day, I will be opposed to racism in any form." |
| 'Diplomatic language' | 'Diplomatic language' |
| Pressed to explain why he had called Palestinian militant group Hamas "friends" during a meeting in Parliament, Mr Corbyn said he had been trying to start a dialogue to help bring about peace in the Middle East. | Pressed to explain why he had called Palestinian militant group Hamas "friends" during a meeting in Parliament, Mr Corbyn said he had been trying to start a dialogue to help bring about peace in the Middle East. |
| He said: "I was in a meeting in the House of Commons for a very serious discussion about the opportunities for peace in the Middle East, and I said to everyone in the room, 'Welcome to all our friends here, let's have a discussion.' | He said: "I was in a meeting in the House of Commons for a very serious discussion about the opportunities for peace in the Middle East, and I said to everyone in the room, 'Welcome to all our friends here, let's have a discussion.' |
| "I think the remark has been taken quite seriously out of context by a lot of people." | "I think the remark has been taken quite seriously out of context by a lot of people." |
| He added: "I used it as a diplomatic language in a meeting." | He added: "I used it as a diplomatic language in a meeting." |
| Labour leadership contest | Labour leadership contest |