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Corbyn sorry over Labour anti-Semitism | Corbyn sorry over Labour anti-Semitism |
(35 minutes later) | |
Jeremy Corbyn has said he is "sincerely sorry" for the pain caused by "pockets of anti-Semitism" in the Labour party. | Jeremy Corbyn has said he is "sincerely sorry" for the pain caused by "pockets of anti-Semitism" in the Labour party. |
In a statement, the Labour leader said he would be meeting representatives of the Jewish community this week. | |
He said he now aimed to "rebuild" confidence in Labour among Jewish people in the UK. | |
The comments came after Mr Corbyn was criticised for sending an apparently supportive message to the creator of an allegedly anti-Semitic mural in 2012. | |
He had appeared to question a decision to remove the artist's controversial mural, but later called the mural "deeply disturbing" and backed its removal. | |
'Stamp this out' | |
Mr Corbyn's statement, which was released on Sunday evening, said: "Labour is an anti-racist party and I utterly condemn anti-Semitism, which is why as leader of the Labour Party I want to be clear that I will not tolerate any form of anti-Semitism that exists in and around our movement. | |
"We must stamp this out from our party and movement. | "We must stamp this out from our party and movement. |
"We recognise that anti-Semitism has occurred in pockets within the Labour Party, causing pain and hurt to our Jewish community in the Labour Party and the rest of the country. | |
"I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused. | "I am sincerely sorry for the pain which has been caused. |
"Our party has deep roots in the Jewish community and is actively engaged with Jewish organisations across the country." | |
Mr Corbyn said he and the party were now campaigning to "increase support and confidence in Labour" among the UK's Jewish community. | |
He said: "I will be meeting representatives from the Jewish community over the coming days, weeks and months to rebuild that confidence in Labour as a party which gives effective voice to Jewish concerns and is implacably opposed to anti-Semitism in all its forms. | |
"Labour will work to unite communities to achieve social justice in our society." | "Labour will work to unite communities to achieve social justice in our society." |
The statement came as Jewish community leaders said they were planning to deliver a letter to the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday. | |
The Jewish Leadership Council and the Board of Deputies of British Jews also said "enough was enough" as they launched a "call to action". | |
The Campaign Against Anti-Semitism group has called for a national protest against anti-Semitism in Labour. | |
The group has compiled a list of complaints against Mr Corbyn and deputy leader Tom Watson, who on Sunday also apologised for any hurt caused. | |
What caused the row? | |
In October 2012, street artist Mear One posted a picture of his mural in east London called "Freedom of Humanity" on Facebook, with the words: "Tomorrow they want to buff my mural. Freedom of expression. London calling. Public Art." | |
Mr Corbyn replied: "Why? You are in good company. Rockerfeller destroyed Diego Viera's mural because it includes a picture of Lenin." | |
More recently, Labour MP Luciana Berger sought clarification from the leader's office on the 2012 comments. | |
Mr Corbyn said: "I sincerely regret that I did not look more closely at the image I was commenting on, the contents of which are deeply disturbing and anti-Semitic. | |
"I am opposed to the production of anti-Semitic material of any kind, and the defence of free speech cannot be used as a justification for the promotion of anti-Semitism in any form." | |
Mear One - whose real name is Kalen Ockerman - has denied being anti-Semitic, saying the mural was about "class and privilege". |