WATCH: Richard Burgon accused of 'misleading public' over Zionism 'the enemy of peace' claim
2 min read
Top Labour MP Richard Burgon has been ordered to apologise after footage emerged of him branding Zionism the "enemy of peace" - which he previously denied saying.
The Shadow Justice Secretary was accused of “misleading the public” with "weasel words" after he insisted last year that he never made the claim despite reports in the press.
He told the BBC in March 2018: “I asked [the Daily Mail] at which meeting I was meant to have said that and they couldn’t respond to me, I didn’t say that and they couldn’t tell me when they believed I had said that - it's not my view...
“I believe that on occasions, the government of Israel, like the governments of other countries, has been an enemy of peace but we’ve got to see that as a separate subject.”
However a video, revealed by journalist Iggy Ostanin, shows Mr Burgon telling a party meeting in 2014: “The enemy of the Palestinian people are Zionists and Zionism is the enemy of peace and the enemy of the Palestinian people.”
Jennifer Gerber from Labour Friends of Israel said of the comments: "For nearly two years, Richard Burgon has deployed half-denials and weasel words to escape responsibility for his appalling suggestion that Zionism is the enemy of peace.
"Now that we've all seen exactly what he said, it's time for Mr Burgon to apologise both for this slur on the Jewish people's right to self-determination and for seemingly misleading the public about it.
"Somebody who aspires to be one of the country's leading legal figures simply cannot behave in this fashion."
Mr Burgon had also written to former Labour Friends of Israel chair Joan Ryan, insisting claims he made the comments were false.
The Labour Party has been approached for comment.
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