Lord Liddle was one of more than 60 Labour peers who signed a full-page advert in the Guardian saying the party 'welcomes everyone... except Jews'
August 28, 2019 08:46
Jeremy Corbyn has described a Labour peer as having “lowered himself” by signing a newspaper advert attacking the Labour leader’s ineffectiveness on antisemitism.
Speaking to the Cumbrian News and Star, Mr Corbyn was asked about Lord Liddle, who is also a Labour councillor in Cumbria and was one of more than 60 Labour peers to have signed a full page ad published in the Guardian last month.
The ad read: “The Labour Party welcomes everyone* irrespective of race, creed, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation. (*except, it seems, Jews).”
It said that this was Mr Corbyn’s “legacy” as Labour leader.
“We are not asking if you are an antisemite. We are saying you are accountable as leader for allowing antisemitism to grow in our party and presiding over the most shaming period in Labour’s history.”
Asked about Lord Liddle, Mr Corbyn said he was “very sorry that he lowered himself by putting his name to that advertisement.
"Our party is big, our party is open, our party is diverse - there is no place whatsoever for antisemitism, xenophobia or any other form of racism, not just in my party but in our society.
"That kind of thing only divides people and weakens us all as a community. Our strength is our diversity."
The local paper also reported that after the ad appeared, members of the Penrith and the Border constituency Labour party "overwhelmingly" supported a motion of no confidence in the Labour peers who had signed it.
The ad was signed by more than a third of Labour members of the House of Lords, including party grandees such as Lord Hain and Lord Mandelson.
“You still haven’t accepted your responsibility”, it went on to say.
“Labour can’t fight racism in society if we can’t deal with racism in our own party. We can’t be a credible alternative government that will bring the country together if we can’t get our own house in order.
“But we cannot stay silent while younger, braver party workers and members speak out. You have failed to defend our party’s anti-racist values. You have therefore failed the test of leadership.”
Lord Liddle has been contacted for comment.
