The Jewish Labour Movement has condemned Jeremy Corbyn's “deeply troubling” bid to “mislead" his MPs after he told them he had reached out to the Jewish group - but had actually only sent one email minutes after he started speaking.
At a meeting of the PLP on Monday night, Mr Corbyn told MPs that he had been in touch with the group after Luciana Berger, JLM's parliamentary chair, quit Labour.
Liverpool Wavertree MP Ms Berger resigned from Labour last week, citing its “institutional antisemitism”.
The next day, JLM e-mailed its members to announce concurrent “extraordinary general meetings” on March 6 in London and Manchester, “to allow members the opportunity to discuss how we move forward collectively as a Movement.”
When Mr Corbyn's claim at the Parliamentary Labour Party meeting was reported, JLM tweeted it was "entirely false".
Tonight at the Parliamentary Labour Party, the Leader claimed that he has been in contact with JLM following the resignation of our Parliamentary Chair, and the announcing of our EGM to discuss the collective future of our affiliated Movement.
— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) February 25, 2019
This is entirely false.
But JLM then clarified the Labour leader's officer sent an email to the personal account of a JLM officer at 6:02PM, "two minutes after Mr Corbyn started talking to the PLP – and just in time for him to claim, technically factually, that he had 'been in contact'."
The organisation added: “After a week of pain and hurt, in which Jewish Labour Party members have either resigned from the Party or have seriously considered their positions, we are deeply disappointed to have heard nothing from the Labour Party Leadership until this evening.
Thread & correction: After a week of pain and hurt, in which Jewish Labour Party members have either resigned from the Party or have seriously considered their positions, we are deeply disappointed to have heard nothing from the Labour Party Leadership until this evening. /1
— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) February 25, 2019
At 6:02pm, two minutes after the meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party began, a meeting in which the Leader claimed to have reached out to the Jewish Labour Movement, an email was received in the personal account of one of our officers. /2
— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) February 25, 2019
It set out the Leader’s desire for JLM to remain affiliated to the Labour Party.
— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) February 25, 2019
We find the attempt to mislead both JLM and the PLP deeply troubling. /3
We continue to await a comprehensive reply to the six key tests set out by the Jewish community, and the 19 set by JLM in April last year. /ends
— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) February 25, 2019
Our letter with 19 sensible suggestions. pic.twitter.com/YcnhftntWr
— Jewish Labour Movement (@JewishLabour) February 25, 2019
It added: "We find the attempt to mislead both JLM and the PLP deeply troubling. We continue to await a comprehensive reply to the six key tests set out by the Jewish community, and the 19 set by JLM in April last year.”