A Jewish former MP told candidates running to be Labour’s deputy leader they “should be ashamed” of their handling of anti-Semitism in the party.
Ruth Smeeth, who faced anti-Semitic death threats when she was an MP, made an emotive speech last night telling the candidates “you did nothing”.
Ms Smeeth, who lost Stoke-on-Trent North to the Tories at the election, said it was “simply a disgrace” that Jewish women alone had been left to lead the fight against anti-Semitism in the party, and told the candidates the problem was their “responsibility to fix”.
At a hustings organised by the Jewish Labour Movement in Manchester, she said: “Colleagues — including some of the people standing for election — shouted at me for raising those issues.”
Angela Rayner, the frontrunner in the deputy leadership race, said: “Clearly we all didn’t do enough… I apologise for that.”
Dawn Butler said “on behalf of the Labour Party I apologise”.
Richard Burgon said “one anti-Semite is one anti-Semite too many in Labour”. The other candidates are Ian Murray and Rosena Allin-Khan.
The minister who will make the final decision on the national Holocaust memorial next to Parliament today repeated the Government’s support for the project.
Westminster council’s planning committee rejected the Victoria Tower Gardens scheme last night and it will now go to a public inquiry.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said the Government was “implacably committed” to the memorial.
