In an angry diatribe, Peter Willsman (pictured) said he was ‘amazed’ there was evidence party members hated Jews
Jeremy Corbyn was plunged into a fresh anti-Semitism crisis last night after a close ally was caught on tape blaming Jewish ‘Trump fanatics’ for inventing claims against Labour.
In an angry diatribe, Peter Willsman said he was ‘amazed’ there was evidence party members hated Jews.
And he questioned whether dozens of rabbis were telling the truth when they complained about allegations of anti-Semitism in Labour.
The comments were recorded at a meeting of Labour’s ruling executive, the NEC, and leaked.
It was claimed that Mr Corbyn had personally attended the meeting, but Labour would not say whether he was in the room at the time of the incendiary remarks.
Mr Willsman’s membership of the NEC is backed by the hard-Left Momentum group within Labour.
He is secretary of the Campaign For Labour Democracy group, which supported Ken Livingstone over his controversial remarks about Hitler and Zionism.
Last night Labour MP Luciana Berger, who is Jewish, demanded the suspension of Mr Willsman for his ‘venom and fury’.
But Labour immediately rejected the call – saying the issue had been resolved after he apologised for his comments.
The latest row comes a day after the president of the Board of Deputies said Mr Corbyn had turned Labour into a home for ‘overt anti-Semites’.
Two weeks ago, 68 rabbis also signed a letter to the Guardian to say anti-Semitism was ‘severe and widespread’ in Labour.
Mr Willsman made his comments at a meeting earlier this month when the NEC approved a controversial new code of conduct on anti-Semitism.
The audio of the meeting, leaked to the Jewish Chronicle, begins with Mr Willsman ending a sentence by saying ‘they can falsify social media very easily’.
It appears to be a suggestion that some of the anti-Semitic remarks Labour members have posted online has been faked.
He adds: ‘And some of these people in the Jewish community support Trump – they are Trump fanatics and all the rest of it.’
Mr Willsman continues: ‘So I am not going to be lectured to by Trump fanatics making up duff information without any evidence at all.
‘So I think we should ask the 70 rabbis: Where is your evidence of severe and widespread anti-Semitism in this party?’
During his comments, the tape picks up amid audible protests from some in the room.
Mr Willsman adds: ‘Let me ask you, let me ask you a question, how many people in this room have seen anti-Semitism in the Labour Party?
‘Put your hands up… one, two – you’ve had anti-Semitism in the Labour Party… I’m amazed. I’ve certainly never seen it.’
Jeremy Corbyn was plunged into a fresh anti-Semitism crisis after his close ally’s comments
In the aftermath of the meeting, which took place on July 17, Mr Willsman was the subject of two formal complaints for his remarks – one from the Jewish Labour Movement.
He escaped formal censure after apologising, although he suggested he had been misquoted.
But last night Miss Berger called for the party to suspend Mr Willsman and conduct a ‘formal investigation’.
The MP, parliamentary chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, said: ‘Anyone listening to this recording will be appalled to hear the venom and fury directed by Mr Willsman at the British Jewish community.
‘That he accuses the Jewish community of falsifying social media and being “Trump fanatics” in order to deny the serious concerns of 68 rabbis beggars belief.
‘Mr Willsman only has to take a look at his NEC papers or the many recent press reports to see evidence of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.
‘In the past week alone two Labour councillors have been suspended and the party have confirmed that 252 people are being investigated for the comments they’ve made online directed at Dame Margaret Hodge MP.
‘Now an accurate record of this diatribe has been identified the party should urgently conduct a formal investigation of this conduct and suspend him today.’
Last night a Labour spokesman said: ‘We don’t comment on individual cases.’