John Bercow: I’ve had antisemitic abuse myself, but I don’t believe Jeremy Corbyn is antisemitic

Mr Campbell had asked him about his views on the “Labour party antisemitism debate” as a Jew, to which he responded: “I think that racism is a challenge across society and after decades in which huge advances were made, I think there is a real danger of regression now.

“Now, I know you didn’t ask more widely about racism, but that’s my answer on racism. You asked about antisemitism and I think it is a big challenge.

“I don’t want to intrude on the grief of a particular political party. All I would say is that, yes, it’s an issue, and it needs to be addressed, but I myself have never experienced antisemitism from a member of the Labour party.”

However, when asked if he had experienced antisemitism outside of parliament, Mr Bercow said: “Yes, yes I have.

“I remember… somebody once saying to me: ‘you know, if I had my way, people like you, Berkoff, wouldn’t be in this place.’

“And I said to this individual: ‘when you say people like me, do you mean people like me in the sense that I’m lower-class or Jewish?’

“To which he replied: ‘Both.’”

Mr Bercow’s family name was formerly Berkowitz, which they changed when they arrived in the UK from Romania.