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| General election: Corbyn declines to apologise over antisemitism in BBC interview – as it happened | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Follow the latest from the election campaign, including speeches by Javid, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn | Follow the latest from the election campaign, including speeches by Javid, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn |
| That’s it from us for this evening. Thanks for reading and commenting. My colleague, Andrew Sparrow, has put together this detailed summary of the day’s main events: | |
| Since he wrote that, the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn faced a bruising encounter with the BBC’s Andrew Neil; a summary of which you can read here. | |
| And the EU’s chief Brexit negotiator said it would not be possible to negotiate a trade deal in the 11 months available in the prime minister’s timetable (see: 6.19pm). | |
| Here are the main points from Jeremy Corbyn’s interview this evening: | Here are the main points from Jeremy Corbyn’s interview this evening: |
| The Labour leader declined repeated opportunities to apologise to the UK’s Jewish community over his handling of antisemitism with his party. During sustained questioning on the damaging issue, which took up about a third of the interview, Corbyn sought to defend his record, claiming to have strengthened the party’s processes for rooting out antisemitism. But he would not issue an apology. | The Labour leader declined repeated opportunities to apologise to the UK’s Jewish community over his handling of antisemitism with his party. During sustained questioning on the damaging issue, which took up about a third of the interview, Corbyn sought to defend his record, claiming to have strengthened the party’s processes for rooting out antisemitism. But he would not issue an apology. |
| He was also confronted with specific allegations of antisemitism that have been raised against Labour members who have not been suspended and into whom investigations have been running for lengthy periods of time. | He was also confronted with specific allegations of antisemitism that have been raised against Labour members who have not been suspended and into whom investigations have been running for lengthy periods of time. |
| Corbyn was unable to say who would campaign for the Brexit deal he has promised he would negotiate and then put to the country, alongside remain, in a referendum. Following a theme seen throughout the interview, Corbyn sought to explain his party’s policy and the intentions behind it, while Neil tried to pin him down on specifics. Corbyn presented his plan to remain personally neutral as statesmanlike as Neil asked him why the UK would want a prime minister who “doesn’t have a view on what really is the greatest peacetime issue that’s faced this country for 70 years”. | Corbyn was unable to say who would campaign for the Brexit deal he has promised he would negotiate and then put to the country, alongside remain, in a referendum. Following a theme seen throughout the interview, Corbyn sought to explain his party’s policy and the intentions behind it, while Neil tried to pin him down on specifics. Corbyn presented his plan to remain personally neutral as statesmanlike as Neil asked him why the UK would want a prime minister who “doesn’t have a view on what really is the greatest peacetime issue that’s faced this country for 70 years”. |
| The Labour leader admitted his tax policies would, in fact, mean some people on less than £80,000 per year would see effective increases. Pressed on his claims that only the richest would pay more, Corbyn acknowledged that his plan to scrap the marriage tax allowance, for example, would actually mean people on lower incomes losing a £250-a-year relief. | The Labour leader admitted his tax policies would, in fact, mean some people on less than £80,000 per year would see effective increases. Pressed on his claims that only the richest would pay more, Corbyn acknowledged that his plan to scrap the marriage tax allowance, for example, would actually mean people on lower incomes losing a £250-a-year relief. |
| Some of Labour’s plans will require borrowing, Corbyn acknowledged. But he presented some elements as investments and others as moral obligations. Referring to his pledge to compensate the Waspi women, Corbyn said: | Some of Labour’s plans will require borrowing, Corbyn acknowledged. But he presented some elements as investments and others as moral obligations. Referring to his pledge to compensate the Waspi women, Corbyn said: |
| My colleague, Rowena Mason, is putting together a comprehensive story on Corbyn’s interview with the BBC, which you can read here: | My colleague, Rowena Mason, is putting together a comprehensive story on Corbyn’s interview with the BBC, which you can read here: |
| And that’s that, Neil calls the interview to a close. | And that’s that, Neil calls the interview to a close. |
| Neil accuses the Labour leader of tending to side with the UK’s enemies. Corbyn says he wants to keep Britain safe. | Neil accuses the Labour leader of tending to side with the UK’s enemies. Corbyn says he wants to keep Britain safe. |
| He also declines to say for certain whether or not he would give the orders to kill any new leader of so-called Islamic State if it was not possible to arrest them. He says the UK must abide by international law and attempt to arrest someone “if it is possible”. | He also declines to say for certain whether or not he would give the orders to kill any new leader of so-called Islamic State if it was not possible to arrest them. He says the UK must abide by international law and attempt to arrest someone “if it is possible”. |
| And the Labour leader stressed that it was essential to look “to the future” and at how the terror group formed and spread, adding: “We also have to look at how we created these dangers as well.” | And the Labour leader stressed that it was essential to look “to the future” and at how the terror group formed and spread, adding: “We also have to look at how we created these dangers as well.” |
| Asking how he will pay for his policy to compensate the Waspi women, Corbyn says it must be paid for because it’s a moral question. | Asking how he will pay for his policy to compensate the Waspi women, Corbyn says it must be paid for because it’s a moral question. |
| Corbyn says the UK will pay for it over “some years” and the money will come either from government reserves or, if necessary, the government will borrow for it. | Corbyn says the UK will pay for it over “some years” and the money will come either from government reserves or, if necessary, the government will borrow for it. |
| Neil asks Corbyn about his borrowing plans. The Labour leader acknowledges taking institutions into public ownership would require him to issue debt but says there will be a return as well. He added: | Neil asks Corbyn about his borrowing plans. The Labour leader acknowledges taking institutions into public ownership would require him to issue debt but says there will be a return as well. He added: |
| Corbyn defended his policy to scrap the marriage tax allowance, which Neil suggests undermines his promise that only those earning more than £80,000 per year would see tax increases. | Corbyn defended his policy to scrap the marriage tax allowance, which Neil suggests undermines his promise that only those earning more than £80,000 per year would see tax increases. |
| The Labour leader says measures such as the introduction of a living wage would mitigate. | The Labour leader says measures such as the introduction of a living wage would mitigate. |
| On his taxation plans, Corbyn denied that a significant part his income tax base would leave the country if he took power. | On his taxation plans, Corbyn denied that a significant part his income tax base would leave the country if he took power. |
| Neil moves on to Brexit, asking Corbyn why people would want a prime minister who would call a referendum and then decline to say which path he supports. | Neil moves on to Brexit, asking Corbyn why people would want a prime minister who would call a referendum and then decline to say which path he supports. |
| Corbyn added: “That seems to me actually an adult and sensible way to go forward.” But he was unable to say who would lead the campaign for his Brexit deal. | Corbyn added: “That seems to me actually an adult and sensible way to go forward.” But he was unable to say who would lead the campaign for his Brexit deal. |
| Corbyn says he has spent his life “opposing racism of any form”, adding: “That is what my life is about.” | Corbyn says he has spent his life “opposing racism of any form”, adding: “That is what my life is about.” |
| The Labour leader then declined to apologise four times to the Jewish community, saying instead that he wanted to protect all communities and work with them to ensure racism is “eliminated”. | The Labour leader then declined to apologise four times to the Jewish community, saying instead that he wanted to protect all communities and work with them to ensure racism is “eliminated”. |
| Neil presents Corbyn with a specific example of comments the Labour leader agrees are antisemitic and asks why the person accused of making them has not been suspended – as well as why the party’s investigation into them has taken a year. | Neil presents Corbyn with a specific example of comments the Labour leader agrees are antisemitic and asks why the person accused of making them has not been suspended – as well as why the party’s investigation into them has taken a year. |
| Corbyn responds that the process is independent of him and says he believes legal representations may have been made, causing delays. | Corbyn responds that the process is independent of him and says he believes legal representations may have been made, causing delays. |