Labour peer: Anti-Semitism row has left me 'deeply ashamed' of the party
3 min read
A Labour peer has said the ongoing anti-Semitism row has left him "deeply ashamed" of his party.
Lord Winston also accused Jeremy Corbyn of "encouraging and endorsing" those espousing anti-Jewish views, and said he could make Labour "unelectable" as a result.
The Labour leader has been embroiled in a fresh anti-Semitism row since it emerged last week that he had opposed the removal of a mural depicting elderly Jewish men playing Monopoly on the backs of downtrodden workers.
That led to the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council to organise a demonstration opposite parliament to protest at Mr Corbyn's handling of the problem.
Speaking to the BBC's This Week programme, Lord Winston said: ""I feel deeply ashamed of my own party. Whether he likes this or not, Jeremy Corbyn has a lot to answer for.
"He has encouraged anti-Semites and endorsed them. In the modern world using social media, their conspiracy theories about Jews and statements about hate, spread like a disease."
He added: "I wrote to Jeremy Corbyn about anti-Semitism but he didn't reply. Much more important why doesn't he meet and sit down with Jewish community leaders who feel deeply threatened and anxious.
"I want to see Palestinians fully respected and living peacefully with Israelis - but Jeremy Corbyn doesn't seem to understand that his attitude decreases the chance of peace and raises the risk increasing violence.
"Our leader, who I've no doubt at all is a good person, stands by whist Labour descends a disastrous path; he could make our great party unelectable."
Asked whether Mr Corbyn is fit to be Prime Minister, the world-renowned scientist said: "I fear that he’s not unfortunately and it troubles me to say that on air."
However, Lord Winston said he would not leave the Labour party "unless they force me out".
Another Labour peer, Lord Levy, told the BBC's Newsnight that he had been called a "Jewish pig" in an email after he criticised Mr Corbyn's response to the anti-Semitism row.
He said the message was shown to the Labour leader, but nothing had been done.
But a Labour source told the Press Association: "Jeremy was shown some text on someone’s phone for a matter of seconds when he was on his way to vote. Of course, if something so serious had been raised with Jeremy in more than a passing way for a few seconds he would have been able to engage with it, and would, of course, have acted."
ZERO TOLERANCE
More than 40 Labour MPs and peers wrote to Mr Corbyn last night urging him to suspend Christine Shawcroft from Labour over her defence of a candidate who posted an article claiming the Holocaust was a hoax.
She stood down as chair of the party's dispute panel after it emerged she called for the reinstatement of a Labour candidate suspended for sharing an article online which said the Holocaust was a "hoax".
However, she remains a member of Labour's ruling National Executive Committee.
Mr Corbyn wrote to Labour members yesterday pledging "zero tolerance" of anti-Semitism.
He said: "I am committed to ensuring our Party is a welcoming and secure place for everyone. I offer all Jewish members my assurance that this applies equally to them. I want all of us to hear Jewish voices and listen.
"If you are not Jewish, I want you to better understand the importance of this issue and what we can do together to ensure our party remains true to our values.
"Zero tolerance for anti-Semitism means what it says."
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