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| Labour frustration mounts as Corbyn wreath row drags on | |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn had planned to spend the summer making the case for a Labour government to voters up and down the country – putting his party on the front foot, in case Theresa May is forced into an early general election. | Jeremy Corbyn had planned to spend the summer making the case for a Labour government to voters up and down the country – putting his party on the front foot, in case Theresa May is forced into an early general election. |
| Instead, while loyal supporters were queuing to see him speak in Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday, he was facing questions for the fourth successive day about what wreaths were laid by whom and why, in a Tunisian cemetery four years ago. | Instead, while loyal supporters were queuing to see him speak in Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday, he was facing questions for the fourth successive day about what wreaths were laid by whom and why, in a Tunisian cemetery four years ago. |
| Corbyn has repeatedly insisted the ceremony at which he was pictured, in images splashed across the Daily Mail over the weekend, was to commemorate those who died in an Israeli air attack on the PLO leadership, then in exile in Tunisia, in 1985. | Corbyn has repeatedly insisted the ceremony at which he was pictured, in images splashed across the Daily Mail over the weekend, was to commemorate those who died in an Israeli air attack on the PLO leadership, then in exile in Tunisia, in 1985. |
| Other senior Palestinian figures, including alleged terrorists, are buried in the cemetery, including some whom Israel claims were involved in the attack on the Munich Olympics; but Corbyn and his team insist he did not intend to honour them. | Other senior Palestinian figures, including alleged terrorists, are buried in the cemetery, including some whom Israel claims were involved in the attack on the Munich Olympics; but Corbyn and his team insist he did not intend to honour them. |
| That account was given some credence on Tuesday in a statement from the Palestinian Mission to the UK, which described the event attended by Corbyn as, “an annual ceremony which is held by Palestinians and Tunisians to mourn the dead of a blatant act of Israeli violence and aggression on the PLO”. | That account was given some credence on Tuesday in a statement from the Palestinian Mission to the UK, which described the event attended by Corbyn as, “an annual ceremony which is held by Palestinians and Tunisians to mourn the dead of a blatant act of Israeli violence and aggression on the PLO”. |
| A spiky intervention from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday night, calling for “unequivocal condemnation” of Corbyn’s attendance, was also seized on by the Labour leader’s supporters. | A spiky intervention from the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Monday night, calling for “unequivocal condemnation” of Corbyn’s attendance, was also seized on by the Labour leader’s supporters. |
| The laying of a wreath by Jeremy Corbyn on the graves of the terrorist who perpetrated the Munich massacre and his comparison of Israel to the Nazis deserves unequivocal condemnation from everyone – left, right and everything in between | The laying of a wreath by Jeremy Corbyn on the graves of the terrorist who perpetrated the Munich massacre and his comparison of Israel to the Nazis deserves unequivocal condemnation from everyone – left, right and everything in between |
| The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, in a tweet sent after midnight, said the Netanyahu’s statement should mark a “line in the sand”, insisting, “enough is enough”. | The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, in a tweet sent after midnight, said the Netanyahu’s statement should mark a “line in the sand”, insisting, “enough is enough”. |
| Jeremy Corbyn has devoted his life to promoting justice & peace &,yes,at times that means meeting people who haven’t shared those ideals because only dialogue can lead to peace.Having a politician like Netanyahu join the media feeding frenzy is a line in the sand.Enough is enough | Jeremy Corbyn has devoted his life to promoting justice & peace &,yes,at times that means meeting people who haven’t shared those ideals because only dialogue can lead to peace.Having a politician like Netanyahu join the media feeding frenzy is a line in the sand.Enough is enough |
| But Corbyn’s tetchy response to questioning about the issue – rolling his eyes when asked about it repeatedly on Tuesday – underlines how frustrating he and his colleagues have found the story. | But Corbyn’s tetchy response to questioning about the issue – rolling his eyes when asked about it repeatedly on Tuesday – underlines how frustrating he and his colleagues have found the story. |
| Corbyn’s longheld support for the Palestinian people during decades as a backbench MP is well known; his allies argue that promoting dialogue between warring sides in any conflict involves being willing to talk to problematic figures. | Corbyn’s longheld support for the Palestinian people during decades as a backbench MP is well known; his allies argue that promoting dialogue between warring sides in any conflict involves being willing to talk to problematic figures. |
| The ultra-loyal MP Chris Williamson tried to make that point on the BBC’s World at One on Tuesday. “The very same people of whom are now criticising Jeremy Corbyn demonised Nelson Mandela as a terrorist. These smears are not actually cutting through,” he said. | The ultra-loyal MP Chris Williamson tried to make that point on the BBC’s World at One on Tuesday. “The very same people of whom are now criticising Jeremy Corbyn demonised Nelson Mandela as a terrorist. These smears are not actually cutting through,” he said. |
| Privately, however, even some Corbyn loyalists are sceptical about the way the issue has been handled by the leader’s office – with flat denial at the weekend giving way to, “I don’t think I was actually involved”; to, by Tuesday, “I witnessed many other people laying many other wreaths”. | Privately, however, even some Corbyn loyalists are sceptical about the way the issue has been handled by the leader’s office – with flat denial at the weekend giving way to, “I don’t think I was actually involved”; to, by Tuesday, “I witnessed many other people laying many other wreaths”. |
| They argue the playbook that worked so well for Labour during last year’s general election – doubling down, refusing to apologise, attacking the messenger – is the wrong one in this case, given the sensitivity of the issues, and the raw nature of the row with Britain’s Jewish community over antisemitism. | They argue the playbook that worked so well for Labour during last year’s general election – doubling down, refusing to apologise, attacking the messenger – is the wrong one in this case, given the sensitivity of the issues, and the raw nature of the row with Britain’s Jewish community over antisemitism. |
| Several contrasted the Labour leader’s handling of the issue with McDonnell’s approach to his past support for the IRA’s struggle against British rule. | Several contrasted the Labour leader’s handling of the issue with McDonnell’s approach to his past support for the IRA’s struggle against British rule. |
| Asked about comments in 2003 that the “bombs and bullets and sacrifice” of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands had brought the government to the negotiating table, McDonnell said in 2015, “if I gave offence – and I clearly have – from the bottom of my heart I apologise. I apologise.” | Asked about comments in 2003 that the “bombs and bullets and sacrifice” of the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands had brought the government to the negotiating table, McDonnell said in 2015, “if I gave offence – and I clearly have – from the bottom of my heart I apologise. I apologise.” |
| McDonnell has at times appeared frustrated by the recent antisemitism row – calling for disciplinary proceedings against Labour MP Margaret Hodge for confronting Corbyn to be dropped. | McDonnell has at times appeared frustrated by the recent antisemitism row – calling for disciplinary proceedings against Labour MP Margaret Hodge for confronting Corbyn to be dropped. |
| Few Labour MPs approached by the Guardian wanted to go public on Tuesday; but some of Corbyn’s critics, including Jess Phillips and Luciana Berger, suggested an apology would be the most appropriate approach. | Few Labour MPs approached by the Guardian wanted to go public on Tuesday; but some of Corbyn’s critics, including Jess Phillips and Luciana Berger, suggested an apology would be the most appropriate approach. |
| Why would anyone strive for perfection or think they never did anything wrong? The world is scary so I get that people want heroes, but they don't exist and we should stop pretending that they do. Totems are nothing compared to people with bobbly flaws and human imperfections. | Why would anyone strive for perfection or think they never did anything wrong? The world is scary so I get that people want heroes, but they don't exist and we should stop pretending that they do. Totems are nothing compared to people with bobbly flaws and human imperfections. |
| The wreath row has been given added impetus because it follows several weeks in which Labour struggled to get on the front foot in the ongoing row over tackling antisemitism among its members. | The wreath row has been given added impetus because it follows several weeks in which Labour struggled to get on the front foot in the ongoing row over tackling antisemitism among its members. |
| The two issues are distinct; but critics argue the dispute about adopting the full IHRA definition of antisemitism, including all the attendant examples, has made the wreath story more salient. | The two issues are distinct; but critics argue the dispute about adopting the full IHRA definition of antisemitism, including all the attendant examples, has made the wreath story more salient. |
| One backbencher said, “what the IHRA row has done is left the Labour party, and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, particularly exposed to these kinds of stories”. | One backbencher said, “what the IHRA row has done is left the Labour party, and Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, particularly exposed to these kinds of stories”. |
| Even staunch supporters of Corbyn, including the Momentum chair Jon Lansman, have called for a more emollient approach from the leadership, in particular to adopting the full IHRA definition, to stave off a looming row about the issue at Labour conference in September. | Even staunch supporters of Corbyn, including the Momentum chair Jon Lansman, have called for a more emollient approach from the leadership, in particular to adopting the full IHRA definition, to stave off a looming row about the issue at Labour conference in September. |
| There is widespread frustration, too, at Labour’s inability to drive the news agenda in recent weeks, as opposition parties can sometimes do during parliamentary recess, with most MPs and many ministers far away from Westminster. | There is widespread frustration, too, at Labour’s inability to drive the news agenda in recent weeks, as opposition parties can sometimes do during parliamentary recess, with most MPs and many ministers far away from Westminster. |
| One senior Labour adviser admitted the party had all but abandoned any attempt at a “summer grid” of positive news-stories. “Anything we say will be drowned out by this rubbish, and if we go out on TV we will be forced to answer questions about it.” | One senior Labour adviser admitted the party had all but abandoned any attempt at a “summer grid” of positive news-stories. “Anything we say will be drowned out by this rubbish, and if we go out on TV we will be forced to answer questions about it.” |
| Few believe this latest row will undermine backing for Corbyn among the party’s membership, however – and indeed some argued the perception that he was under attack from a hostile media determined to portray him as a terrorist sympathiser would strengthen the resolve of his supporters. | Few believe this latest row will undermine backing for Corbyn among the party’s membership, however – and indeed some argued the perception that he was under attack from a hostile media determined to portray him as a terrorist sympathiser would strengthen the resolve of his supporters. |
| “In the membership, people who would be horrified by this would be people who wouldn’t have voted for Jeremy in the first place – many of whom have since left,” said one senior party source. | “In the membership, people who would be horrified by this would be people who wouldn’t have voted for Jeremy in the first place – many of whom have since left,” said one senior party source. |
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