Jeremy Corbyn has sparked widespread condemnation after once again denying that former Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger was hounded out of the Labour Party by antisemites.
Speaking at the Cambridge Union yesterday, the former Labour leader refused to accept Ms Burger was bullied out of the party, instead insisting she “unfortunately decided to resign”.
Mr Corbyn was being interviewed by the union’s Jewish President Joel Rosen.
For those asking this was his response to the question about Luciana.
— Joel Rosen (@jrosentweets) June 10, 2021
How is this man still a Labour member?
Footage courtesy of @cambridgeunion pic.twitter.com/H2rsj77UvE
When asked by Mr Rosen what specific actions he took to prevent Ms Berger being hounded out, Mr Corbyn answered: “Luciana was not hounded out of the party, she unfortunately decided to resign from the party.”
During his interview, the independent MP for Islington North also claimed that “no antisemitic or racist stuff is ever done in my name”.
Video clips of Mr Corbyn’s denial have attracted thousands of views and shares on social media.
Responding to her former boss, Ms Berger tweeted a link to her statement on the EHRC’s report on Labour antisemitism, alongside the words: “just going to leave this here”.
Former Labour MP Anna Turley tweeted: “Evidence of the racist bullying and abuse of Luciana and others was presented week after week at PLP and Parliamentary Committee. The great-niece of Manny Shinwell would not have left the Labour Party unless there was no alternative.”
Meanwhile, Mr Rosen said: “The silver lining in today’s saga are the non-Jewish Labour people at university who have sent kind messages.
“Many are one-time Corbyn supporters, but I’m sensing a growing awareness of the nature of left-wing Antisemitism. To understand systemic prejudice we must listen, learn and act.”