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| Thousands of Jeremy Corbyn supporters endorse letter saying Jewish-organised antisemitism protest was the work of 'very powerful special interest group' | Thousands of Jeremy Corbyn supporters endorse letter saying Jewish-organised antisemitism protest was the work of 'very powerful special interest group' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 2,000 supporters of Jeremy Corbyn have backed an open letter suggesting a Jewish-organised protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party was the work of a "very powerful special interest group". | More than 2,000 supporters of Jeremy Corbyn have backed an open letter suggesting a Jewish-organised protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party was the work of a "very powerful special interest group". |
| The open letter, posted to Mr Corbyn, claimed the organisers of Monday's demonstration had used their "immense strength" to employ the full might of the BBC" in order to launch an "onslaught" against the Labour leader. | The open letter, posted to Mr Corbyn, claimed the organisers of Monday's demonstration had used their "immense strength" to employ the full might of the BBC" in order to launch an "onslaught" against the Labour leader. |
| The event was organised jointly by Jewish community groups the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council. | The event was organised jointly by Jewish community groups the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council. |
| The letter suggests the organisers had sought to use their "history" and "influence" to "dictate who the rest of us can vote for or how we vote". | |
| The latest news will come as a blow to Mr Corbyn as he battles to respond to allegations that he has failed to adequately address antisemitism among his supporters. | |
| The letter was posted on the "We Support Jeremy Corbyn Facebook" group and was endorsed by more 2000 of the group's followers. More than 1,000 had commented asking for their names to be added to the text. | The letter was posted on the "We Support Jeremy Corbyn Facebook" group and was endorsed by more 2000 of the group's followers. More than 1,000 had commented asking for their names to be added to the text. |
| The letter states: "Yesterday we witnessed the full onslaught of a very powerful special interest group mobilising its apparent, immense strength against you. | |
| "It is clear this group can employ the full might of the BBC to make sure its voice is heard very loudly and clearly. It is a shame not every special interest group can get the same coverage." | |
| It adds: "But, and it is a very big BUT, we live in a democracy, a one member one vote democracy and no special interest group, regardless of their history or influence, can be allowed to dictate who the rest of us can vote for or how we vote." | |
| "I am writing this letter to say that I support you and I trust you, more than I would trust any politician, to do the right thing in terms of racism, antisemitism, and any hate mongering from anyone against anyone. | |
| "We know that any politician who stands for the many and not the few will have very many powerful enemies and it is expecting an awful lot of a person to put up with the pressures that are put on you. But thank you, thank you, for your inspiration and steadfastness and be sure that you still have my support." | |
| It was posted by a user named Francess Naggs, who said they were a Labour Party member in the Staffordshire Moorlands constituency. | |
| The news comes as an ally or Mr Corbyn was forced to resign as chair of a key Labour disciplinary panel after a leaked email revealed she had suggested a member who claimed the Holocaust was a "hoax" should not be suspended from the party. | |
| Sources said Mr Corbyn had asked Christine Shawcroft to step down after her email was leaked to The Times. | |
| Earlier on Thursday the leaders of the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council has refused Mr Corbyn's request for an "urgent meeting" until he agreed to meet a number of their conditions, including appointing an independent ombudsman and publicly condemning abuse of Labour MPs who attended Monday's protest. |