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| Jeremy Corbyn's response to anti-Semitism in Labour criticised by MPs | Jeremy Corbyn's response to anti-Semitism in Labour criticised by MPs |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has not done enough to tackle anti-Semitism in the party, a committee of MPs has said. | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has not done enough to tackle anti-Semitism in the party, a committee of MPs has said. |
| The Home Affairs Select Committee report criticised him for a lack of "consistent leadership" on the issue, which it said benefited people with "vile attitudes" towards Jewish people. | The Home Affairs Select Committee report criticised him for a lack of "consistent leadership" on the issue, which it said benefited people with "vile attitudes" towards Jewish people. |
| Mr Corbyn accused the committee of a "disproportionate" emphasis on Labour. | Mr Corbyn accused the committee of a "disproportionate" emphasis on Labour. |
| The MPs also criticised Twitter, which they said hosted "vast swathes" of hate speech and abuse aimed at Jews. | The MPs also criticised Twitter, which they said hosted "vast swathes" of hate speech and abuse aimed at Jews. |
| Their Anti-Semitism in the UK report said the social network should do more to identify abusers. A spokesman for Twitter said it tackled hateful conduct "head-on". | Their Anti-Semitism in the UK report said the social network should do more to identify abusers. A spokesman for Twitter said it tackled hateful conduct "head-on". |
| 'Toxic atmosphere' | 'Toxic atmosphere' |
| The cross-party committee also criticised National Union of Students (NUS) President Malia Bouattia for failing to take the issue sufficiently seriously on university campuses. | The cross-party committee also criticised National Union of Students (NUS) President Malia Bouattia for failing to take the issue sufficiently seriously on university campuses. |
| Among its findings were: | Among its findings were: |
| The report by five Conservative, one SNP and two Labour MPs made unanimous recommendations to Twitter, the police and politicians on how to deal with and tackle anti-Semitism. | The report by five Conservative, one SNP and two Labour MPs made unanimous recommendations to Twitter, the police and politicians on how to deal with and tackle anti-Semitism. |
| The MPs said the failure of the Labour Party "consistently and effectively to deal with anti-Semitic incidents in recent years risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally anti-Semitic". | The MPs said the failure of the Labour Party "consistently and effectively to deal with anti-Semitic incidents in recent years risks lending force to allegations that elements of the Labour movement are institutionally anti-Semitic". |
| In June, a report by the former director of human rights body Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti - who has since become a Labour peer and shadow attorney general - found that the party was not overrun by anti-Semitism or other forms of racism, but there was evidence of "minority hateful or ignorant attitudes and behaviours". | In June, a report by the former director of human rights body Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti - who has since become a Labour peer and shadow attorney general - found that the party was not overrun by anti-Semitism or other forms of racism, but there was evidence of "minority hateful or ignorant attitudes and behaviours". |
| However, the MPs said the Chakrabarti report had failed to deliver "a comprehensive set of recommendations, to provide a definition of anti-Semitism, or to suggest effective ways of dealing with anti-Semitism". | However, the MPs said the Chakrabarti report had failed to deliver "a comprehensive set of recommendations, to provide a definition of anti-Semitism, or to suggest effective ways of dealing with anti-Semitism". |
| 'Narrow pool of opinion' | 'Narrow pool of opinion' |
| The committee's report said Mr Corbyn had a proud record of campaigning against many types of racism, but did not fully appreciate "the distinct nature of post-Second World War anti-Semitism". | The committee's report said Mr Corbyn had a proud record of campaigning against many types of racism, but did not fully appreciate "the distinct nature of post-Second World War anti-Semitism". |
| The party was incompetent in dealing with members accused of anti-Semitism, it added. | The party was incompetent in dealing with members accused of anti-Semitism, it added. |
| But Mr Corbyn hit back at the committee's findings and said the report's "political framing and disproportionate emphasis on Labour" risked undermining it. | But Mr Corbyn hit back at the committee's findings and said the report's "political framing and disproportionate emphasis on Labour" risked undermining it. |
| He said the committee had heard evidence from "too narrow a pool of opinion" and had "violated natural justice" by rejecting requests from Baroness Chakrabarti and the Jewish Labour Movement to appear and give evidence. | He said the committee had heard evidence from "too narrow a pool of opinion" and had "violated natural justice" by rejecting requests from Baroness Chakrabarti and the Jewish Labour Movement to appear and give evidence. |
| The report also "unfairly criticised" Baroness Chakrabarti, Mr Corbyn said, adding that Labour was "already acting on her recommendations". | The report also "unfairly criticised" Baroness Chakrabarti, Mr Corbyn said, adding that Labour was "already acting on her recommendations". |
| "Although the committee heard evidence that 75% of anti-Semitic incidents come from far-right sources, and the report states there is no reliable evidence to suggest anti-Semitism is greater in Labour than other parties, much of the report focuses on the Labour Party," said Mr Corbyn. | "Although the committee heard evidence that 75% of anti-Semitic incidents come from far-right sources, and the report states there is no reliable evidence to suggest anti-Semitism is greater in Labour than other parties, much of the report focuses on the Labour Party," said Mr Corbyn. |
| MP Tim Loughton, acting chairman of the committee, said: "I would have hoped that Jeremy Corbyn would have been rather more positive and welcomed this report." | |
| He said some Labour MPs had been subjected to "absolutely grotesque" abuse, adding: "We were talking about main stream parties and nobody can deny there have been very high profile incidents within the Labour Party." | |
| Mr Loughton also told BBC Breakfast the committee had written to Baroness Chakrabarti in August with a list of further queries, but "still has no response". | |
| The MPs' report said all parties needed to look at taking on its recommendations on training and discipline for members. | The MPs' report said all parties needed to look at taking on its recommendations on training and discipline for members. |
| 'Outright racism' | 'Outright racism' |
| The committee said abuse on Twitter was "growing exponentially" and the company must employ more resources to identify abusers. | The committee said abuse on Twitter was "growing exponentially" and the company must employ more resources to identify abusers. |
| "The onus should not be on victims to monitor their accounts for ongoing abuse and report it to the company," MPs said. | "The onus should not be on victims to monitor their accounts for ongoing abuse and report it to the company," MPs said. |
| A spokesman for Twitter said it tackled hateful conduct "head-on", adding that it had "no place on Twitter" and there was "a clear distinction between freedom of expression and conduct that incites violence and hate". | A spokesman for Twitter said it tackled hateful conduct "head-on", adding that it had "no place on Twitter" and there was "a clear distinction between freedom of expression and conduct that incites violence and hate". |
| The report said it was worried by the use of the word "Zionist" as an inflammatory and anti-Semitic term of abuse, adding that "use of the word in an accusatory context should be considered inflammatory and potentially anti-Semitic". | The report said it was worried by the use of the word "Zionist" as an inflammatory and anti-Semitic term of abuse, adding that "use of the word in an accusatory context should be considered inflammatory and potentially anti-Semitic". |
| But it did say free speech should be allowed on Israel and Palestine, adding that it was not anti-Semitic to hold the Israeli government to the same standards as other liberal democracies. | But it did say free speech should be allowed on Israel and Palestine, adding that it was not anti-Semitic to hold the Israeli government to the same standards as other liberal democracies. |
| The committee said the president of the NUS had shown a "worrying disregard" for her duty on the issue. | The committee said the president of the NUS had shown a "worrying disregard" for her duty on the issue. |
| And the MPs said that a 2011 blog written by Ms Bouattia which described Birmingham University as a "Zionist outpost" smacked of "outright racism". | And the MPs said that a 2011 blog written by Ms Bouattia which described Birmingham University as a "Zionist outpost" smacked of "outright racism". |
| Ms Bouattia said she was "deeply concerned" about the reported rise of anti-Semitism on campus and regarded tackling it as a "key priority". | Ms Bouattia said she was "deeply concerned" about the reported rise of anti-Semitism on campus and regarded tackling it as a "key priority". |
| The MPs recommended that individuals reporting abuse should have a single point of contact with their local police force. | The MPs recommended that individuals reporting abuse should have a single point of contact with their local police force. |