Jeremy Corbyn has said Ken Livingstone’s comments on Hitler and Zionism were “wholly unacceptable and wrong”, and admitted that he regrets describing Hamas and Hizbollah as "friends".
The Labour leader gave evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee’s inquiry into rising antisemitism in Britain for more than 90 minutes this afternoon.
Mr Corbyn said he had spent his career opposing racism and outlined the steps he had taken to launch an inquiry into the allegations of antisemitism in the party's ranks.
He said: “A long time ago there were sometimes antisemitic remarks made, when I first joined the party and later on. In recent years, no, and in my constituency not at all.
“I received the reports and thought the best thing to do was set up the inquiry.”
Mr Corbyn is believed to be the first Opposition Leader to give evidence to a select committee hearing.
Keith Vaz, Committee chairman, asked Mr Corbyn a series of questions about his associations with antisemites and opponents of Israel. He asked whether Mr Corbyn was “fostering a period where antisemitism” exists in his party.
“That is unfair. I want a party that is open for all,” Mr Corbyn responded. “Many Jewish groups in the party, some are critical, some are not.”
He also asked Mr Corbyn about Ken Livingstone’s comment that Hitler supported Zionism and asked whether the party leader would condemn those remarks.
“Ken Livingstone made remarks that are wholly unacceptable and wrong,” Mr Corbyn said.
Mr Corbyn said the comments made by Jackie Walker – who was suspended from the party and then readmitted after claiming Jews were responsible for the slave trade – were “inappropriate”.
Mr Vaz criticised Shami Chakrabarti’s inquiry into antisemitism, complaining that she had not taken evidence from Mr Livingstone and others connected to the recent controversy over Jew-hate in Labour.
“It was hardly an independent report,” Mr Vaz said. “She joined the Labour party. She referred to ‘we’ in the Labour party, so it’s not independent, that’s why it’s been criticised.”
Mr Corbyn responded by saying Ms Chakrabarti had a good reputation from her work with the Liberty group and had produced “a very good report”.
He said she was not independent “politically” but was fair in terms of how she looked at racism.
Mr Vaz challenged Mr Corbyn on his comments last week when he appeared to compare Israel to Daesh, for which was subsequently criticised by leaders of the Jewish community, including Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis.
Mr Corbyn said: “At no stage did I make that comparison. I’m disappointed that reference was made by the Chief Rabbi."
He later said that he did believe in Israel's right to exist.
On Hamas and Hizbollah, Mr Corbyn said his reference to them as “friends” was “inclusive language I used, which with hindsight I wish I had not used. I regret using those words”.
After being prompted a number of times, he admitted the Hamas charter was antisemitic.
Mr Corbyn was also pushed on whether he felt the Momentum activist group - which heavily supported his leadership campaign - should be shut down because of allegations of antisemitism among members.
He answered by saying the group was used by people who were new to politics who wanted to be active on housing, transport and other issues.
Mr Corbyn was also asked about his connection to blood libel cleric Raed Salah and controversial anti-Zionist Church of England vicar Stephen Sizer.
Committee member Nusrat Ghani questioned Mr Corbyn about his appointment of Paul Flynn as Shadow Leader of the House of Commons.
Mr Flynn had claimed in 2011 that Britain’s then ambassador to Israel, Matthew Gould, had “dual loyalties” because he was Jewish.
Mr Corbyn said Mr Flynn was not antisemitic and would remain in the shadow cabinet.
He said he “totally and profoundly disagreed” with the views of Holocaust denier Paul Eisen.
Mr Corbyn reflected on his meeting with Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush earlier this year, which, he said had “lasted quite a long time. We got on quite well. Look if we want a strong cohesive society, we oppose antisemitism because it divides us”.
The Labour leader said he had attended events about the Israel-Palestinian conflict where Holocaust deniers had been removed for making antisemitic comments regarding the Shoah.
He had travelled to Ealing in west London for tea with Raed Salah because the sheikh was under house arrest, he added.
Questioned on why he had accused Guardian journalist and JC columnist Jonathan Freedland of "subliminal nastiness", Mr Corbyn said Mr Freedland had "made comments detrimental to my character".
His evidence came after last week’s publication of Labour’s own probe of Jew hate – and other forms of racism – within the party. At last Thursday’s unveiling of Ms Chakrabarti’s findings, Mr Corbyn urged members to avoid talking about Hitler or calling people “Zios”.
But the event was overshadowed after Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth ran from the event after Marc Wadsworth, a hard-left activist and ally of Mr Corbyn, accused her of conspiring with the Daily Telegraph.
Fabian Hamilton, the last remaining Jewish member of Mr Corbyn’s shadow Commons team, resigned earlier today. He had been Shadow Europe Minister and had refused to take part in last week’s no-confidence vote, but was said to be “very concerned” about the treatment of Ms Smeeth.
