A Labour MP has warned the party is not a safe space for British Jews after she was abused at the launch of an event into anti-Semitism
A Jewish Labour MP abused at the launch of the Chakrabarti report into anti-Semitism has slammed leader Jeremy Corbyn, saying the party “cannot be a safe space for British Jews” under his leadership.
Ruth Smeeth was accused of collaborating with a Daily Telegraph journalist to smear the party at an event this morning which saw former Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti deny that the party was “overrun” by anti-Semitism.
At the same event, Corbyn compared Israel to terror group Islamic State.
In a statement issued on her website, Smeeth said that while she was being verbally attacked by an activist from left-wing campaign group Momentum the Labour leader “did absolutely nothing”.
"Until today I had made no public comment about Jeremy’s ability to lead our party, but the fact that he failed to intervene is final proof for me that he is unfit to lead, and that a Labour Party under his stewardship cannot be a safe space for British Jews,” Smeeth said.
"No-one from the Leader’s office has contacted me since the event, which is itself a catastrophic failure of leadership. I call on Jeremy Corbyn to resign immediately and make way for someone with the backbone to confront racism and anti-Semitism in our party and in the country."
The Chakrabarti report was launched following the suspension of MP Naz Shah and former London mayor Ken Livingstone amid claims of anti-Semitism.
Shah was suspended after Facebook posts showed her sharing messages suggesting the relocation of Israel to the United States, while Livingstone suggested that Adolf Hitler supported Zionism “before he went mad”.
The report saw her issue a list of 20 recommendations as part of her investigation into racism in the party, including calling on members to avoid the use of Nazi, Hitler and Holocaust metaphors, and warning that attempts to blur responsibility or minimise the Holocaust should have no place in the Labour party.
However, Chakrabarti warned against installing lifetime bans for offenders.