Jeremy Corbyn supporters have accused David Baddiel of writing a BBC sketch which criticised the Labour leader over antisemitism, in what the comedian called “the weirdest conspiracy theory I have ever seen”.
Corbyn supporters on social media claimed that Mr Baddiel had written the sketch for Friday night’s episode of Tracey Breaks the News, a comedy show starring Tracey Ullman.
In the sketch, Ms Ullman plays Mr Corbyn and is confronted by a Jewish person concerned with antisemitism in Labour.
“I hear you. I am all over it like cream cheese on a bagel ... it’s alright to say that, isn’t it?” the character replies.
“I want you to know that I am completely on top of all this Jewish stuff. I have spoken to every single antisemite in the Labour party and I’ve told them – in no uncertain terms – ‘tone it down a bit!’”
Dylan Strain, who describes himself on Twitter as a writer and actor, tweeted:
“I see @Baddiel wrote Tracey Ullman's Corbyn sketch last night. More BBC propaganda masquerading as satire. Tip for Tracey - sitting in make up for hours to look a bit like Corbyn is a waste of time if you can't do the voice or mannerisms, or comedy.”
Mr Strain later said that he was being sarcastic and that his reference to Mr Baddiel was in connection to an appearance the comedian made on Frankie Boyle's BBC show a couple of weeks before, when he had discussed Labour antisemitism.
However, a number of Corbyn supporters picked up on the claim, including ex-MP George Galloway, who tweeted: “It seems the BBC have given #Badiel [sic] a roving attacking midfield position playing in the whole smearing opposition captain #Corbyn at will. He’s played off #FrankieBoyle and now #TraceyUllman but it’s always the same tactic whoever is employed.”
Another person tweeted: “Baddiel and Ullman have one important thing in common that gets in the way of any attempt at producing comedy. They are both Zionists (like Lipman). They can’t see beyond that.”
Mr Baddiel called the claim “the weirdest conspiracy theory I have ever seen".
He added: “I’ve now seen it stated as fact that I wrote that sketch. Maybe I should ask for royalties. Or will that confirm the stereotype for the antisemites?”
After the comedian was told Mr Galloway had repeated the claim, he tweeted: “OK. It was absurd before, now it's a just a Stalinist anti-Jew circus. Which is less fun than it sounds.”
Tracy Ann Oberman, the Jewish actress and writer, wrote on Twitter: “Tonight's an eye opener… Tracey Ullman labelled a Jewish Zio stooge, Baddiel the Jew who wrote it. And all by Jeremy Corbyn’s die hard fans
“Tracey Ullman is NOT jewish. Baddiel did NOT write the sketch. Jeremy's fans call this #FakeNews. I call it racism.”
