BBC rejects claims Newsnight interview with JVL co-chair was biased

The JC understands that there were also complaints logged with the BBC by Jewish campaigners angry at Newsnight’s decision to invite Ms Manson onto the show only a few weeks after the appearance of another leading figure in JVL Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi.

The group have consistently attempted to downplay allegations of antisemitism under Mr Corbyn  - and have sought to criticise Sir Keir Starmer’s attempts to tackle the problem.

Responding to complaints from supporters of Ms Manson, a statement on the BBC website said: “The decision to readmit Jeremy Corbyn to the Labour Party was a controversial one and Newsnight sought to examine the different reactions there had been and what that meant for the party leadership. Jenny Manson was interviewed because she supports Jeremy Corbyn and represents Jewish Voice for Labour, a group within the party with strong views on this issue.

“She was challenged on how widely her opinions are shared across the Jewish community, and Kirsty Wark put to her research from the Campaign for Anti-Semitism and the views of the British Board of Deputies.

“The BBC’s Editorial Guidelines require us to report with due impartiality and accuracy and we are confident that viewers will have understood she holds a minority view within the British Jewish community but that she also represents a strand of thinking within Labour which is important in understanding the internal debate about how the Labour party deals with antisemitism.

“The interview with the former MP Louise Ellman was similarly robust.

“Kirsty Wark challenged her on whether she would have accepted an apology from Mr Corbyn and pointed out that he had accepted that the claims of antisemitism were not exaggerated.

“While no two interviews are ever the same and we approach each on their individual merits, we consider that Kirsty treated both guests fairly and appropriately.”

During her Newsnight appearance Ms Manson said:” “I would be very sad indeed if the whip is taken away from Jeremy [Corbyn].”

He was subsequently banned from returning as a Labour MP by Sir Keir last week.

On Newsnight Ms Manson added there were “many many Jewish communities” and that “a lot of us are very happy he is back in the party.”

She described Mr Corbyn as a “very good man.”

Ms Manson said she supported Mr Corbyn’s claim that allegations of antisemitism in Labour were “over exaggerated partly by the media.”

The JVL co-chair also claimed to be speaking for “Charedi Jews” and the “secular” community when she said she did not feel threatened by Mr Corbyn.

Dame Louise attacked the decision to allow Mr Corbyn back into the party as a backwards step. She called for Sir Keir to refuse to return the whip to the former leader.