Labour’s John McDonnell says he is ‘worried’ the party’s anti-Semitism crisis has damaged the party ahead of the election – but refuses to quit as head of hard Left group that has defended those accused of anti-Jewish comments
- He said he was worried the ‘horrible’ issue was cutting through with the public
- A leak of party documents reveal mammoth backlog of unresolved complaints
- McDonnell said: ‘We’ve done everything I think we can possibly do’
John McDonnell admitted he fears Labour’s anti-Semtism crisis has cost it election votes today.
The shadow chancellor said he was worried that the ‘horrible’ issue that has plagued Jeremy Corbyn’s tenture as party leader was cutting through with the public with just days to go.
He appeared on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme after a leak of party documents reveal the mammoth backlog of unresolved complaints.
Over 130 cases of anti-Jewish racism have still not been actioned, according to the damning papers obtained by the Sunday Times.
Of the cases Labour has dealt with, the perpetrators have only received minor punishments or been let off the hook entirely.
Mr McDonnell told the BBC: ‘I worry that this has had its effect, and we’ve done everything I think we can possibly do.
The shadow chancellor said he was worried that the ‘horrible’ issue that has plagued Jeremy Corbyn’s tenture as party leader was cutting through with the public
‘We’ve apologised to the Jewish community.’
Questioned on whether he really believes Labour have done all they can do, Mr McDonnell added: ‘We’ve always got to learn lessons, of course we have, all political parties – but it isn’t just the Labour Party – I want us to be a shining model.
‘I apologise to the Jewish community for the suffering we’ve inflicted on them, I say to them we’re doing everything possible, we want to learn more lessons and we want to be the shining example of anti-racism that the Labour Party should be.’
The documents revealed today also show the stomach-curdling racism espoused by party members, including calls for Jews to be butchered and dark references to gas chambers.
The bombshell whistleblower leak would seem to pour cold water on Mr Corbyn’s insistent claim he is ‘dealing’ with anti-Semitism, despite fresh examples regularly undermining him.
He appeared on the BBC’s Andrew Marr programme after a leak of party documents reveal the mammoth backlog of unresolved complaints
The left-winger’s claim to enforce a zero tolerance approach to racism do not appear to be supported by his own party’s documents, which describe a long-winded process that can drag on for months before someone is booted out.
One member from Birmingham apparently suggested on Facebook that the Red Sea was the ‘ideal destination’ to exterminate Jews ‘who are a cancer to us all’.
It took eight months for this activist, who went on to ‘no need for gas chambers anyway gas is so expensive and we need it in England,’ to be turfed out.
A secret audio recording revealed one case has been sidelined for over three years.
Appearing on TV Mr McDonnell said he would not step down as the head of a hard Left group that has defended those embroiled in anti-Semitism.
He is president of the Labour Representation Committee, whose members backed former MP Chris Williamson after he was suspended for saying the party was ‘too apologetic’.
Pushed on why he will not resign his presidency of the Labour Representation Committee, Mr McDonnell said: ‘Well I’m working within the LRC to challenge those issues and I think I can turn the LRC around on these particular issues.
‘There’s a debate going on.’
Mr McDonnell said there were only ‘a small number’ of anti-Semites in the Labour Party.
Asked whether allegations that in October there were 136 outstanding complaints of anti-Semitic behaviour in the Labour Party are true, Mr McDonnell said: ‘No it isn’t, from my understanding.’
He added: ‘The individuals they’ve named we’ve kicked out, that’s the first thing, the numbers they’re talking about we’ve dealt with.’
He continued: ‘My understanding is well below that, and there will be a report in the normal way published in January.’
Mr McDonnell also repeated that he was ‘angry because we weren’t quick enough or ruthless enough’, but that ‘the new procedures are dealing with that’, something which the report ‘doesn’t take into account’.