WATCH: Dominic Raab launches scathing attack on Jeremy Corbyn's 'inaction' over anti-semitism
3 min read
Dominic Raab has launched a scathing personal attack against Jeremy Corbyn over his response to tackling anti-semitism.
The Tory leadership contender used a slick campaign video about his family's escape from the Holocaust in which he accused Jeremy Corbyn of failing to stand up for a "free and tolerant" democracy.
In the video, Mr Raab explains how his Jewish father fled from occupied Czechoslovakia at the age of six but other family members who remained were executed by Nazi forces.
Mr Raab, who last year vowed to fight against anti-semitism to his "dying breath", said Labour under Jeremy Corbyn had become a "stain on our country" for its failure to stamp out anti-Jewish racism.
In the video, he said: "In recent times, this once great party has become a stain on our country. I am talking about the inaction when a small minority of members and even their own MPs are caught saying terrible things that go beyond the bounds of tolerant debate.
“You would be surprised at how many British people take this personally."
The former Brexit secretary added: “My father grew up knowing that most of his family had been systematically murdered for no other reason that they were Jews. He grasped the opportunities and embraced the tolerance that our great country offers, but he never forgot what happened to his family.
“There are certain things that should stand above party political divides. I think if you look at the evidence Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have shown they won’t stand up for that ideal.
"I believe all parties must preserve the free and tolerant democracy that I know from my own family's experience we are lucky to have in this country.”
A Labour spokesperson, said: "Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party are fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and implacably opposed to antisemitism in any form.
"Complaints about antisemitism relate to a small minority of members and the Party has strengthened and sped up processes for dealing with such complaints."
Mr Raab's intervention comes in the week the UK's equality watchdog launched a formal investigation in to Labour's handling of anti-semitism complaints.
The Equalities and Human Rights Commission said the full statutory probe would investigate if the party had "unlawfully discriminated" against people because they are Jewish.
The investigation will also examine whether the party or its employees had committed "unlawful acts" as well examining whether complaints of unlawful acts had been handled in an "efficient and effective manner".
But a Labour spokesperson hit back at the probe, saying the party rejected any suggestion they did not handle complaints fairly and robustly.
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