WATCH: Jeremy Corbyn says he 'totally deplores' language in book at centre of anti-semitism row
3 min read
Jeremy Corbyn has described anti-semitic language used in a book he endorsed as "utterly deplorable".
The Labour leader said his own contribution to a 2011 edition of an early twentieth century text by economist JA Hobson had been focused on "analysing the process which led to the First World War".
The 1902 book, 'Imperialism: A Study', included an argument that finance in Europe was controlled "by men of a single and peculiar race, who have behind them many centuries of financial experience".
It also highlighted well-known anti-semitic conspiracy theories about the Rothschild banking family.
Mr Corbyn came under fire from some Jewish groups after it emerged his foreword praises the "great tome" and flags the author's "correct and prescient" passages "railing against the commercial interests that fuel the role of the popular press".
The Board of Deputies of British Jews described those passages as "pure and unequivocal racism", while the Jewish Labour Movement said Mr Corbyn appeared to have "endorsed anti-semitic propaganda".
But Mr Corbyn told the Joe.co.uk website: "The language in that book to describe minorities is absolutely deplorable and I totally deplore it."
He added: "What my foreword was doing was analysing the process which led to the First World War, of the wars between empires in Europe.
"That’s what the book was about. And indeed many, many people have referenced that in speeches they’ve made."
The Labour leader argued that his analysis had focused on "how this continent degenerated into the awfulness of the First World War and the millions who died".
"And of course, the First World War, because of the way the end of it was handled led directly to the Second World War and the Holocaust," Mr Corbyn added.
'CONSIDER HIS POSITION'
The JLM, which has been affiliated to the party since 1920, on Wednesday said Mr Corbyn appeared to be the "unluckiest anti-racist in history" and said he should "consider his position" over the endorsement.
But a Labour spokesperson fired back, saying it was "fine to write the foreword to Hobson's Imperialism and the issues it has raised".
They added: “It’s no surprise, given the way some of these things are reported, that people reading that think Jeremy or other people are saying things that they are clearly not.
"Of course Jeremy condemns and would have nothing whatsoever to do with the kind of views Hobson was expressing in relation to the Jewish role in finance.
“There is racially offensive language in the book, not just in relation to anti-semitism, but more broadly and he doesn’t talk about either because it’s obviously a book of its time.
"It’s not an introduction, it’s a foreword talking about wider issues the book raises."
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