Help me root out anti-Semitism from Labour, Jeremy Corbyn urges British Jews

Jeremy Corbyn has described Labour as an ally of Jews after admitting that the summer had been “tough” because of the anti-Semitism row that engulfed the party and his leadership.

Mr Corbyn said the issue had caused “immense hurt and anxiety in the Jewish community and great dismay in the Labour Party” as he addressed the problem in his conference speech.

“We are your ally.

“And the next Labour government will guarantee whatever support necessary to ensure the security of Jewish community centres and places of worship, as we will for any other community experiencing hateful behaviour and physical attacks.

“We will work with Jewish communities to eradicate anti-Semitism, both within our party and wider society.

“And with your help I will fight for that with every breath that I possess.”

Mr Corbyn had earlier been urged to use his closing speech to demonstrate his leadership in tackling anti-Semitism.

Susan Pollack told an emotionally-charged fringe meeting organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust (HET) at the conference in Liverpool on Tuesday that Mr Corbyn should say “unfounded” attacks against Israel are “not acceptable”.

She called for him to speak out against the constant attacks on Israel and indicated that it should face justifiable criticism in the same way as any other country.

The same evening, Labour deputy leader Tom Watson said the party had a “moral obligation” to rid itself of anti-Semitism.

Speaking to loud applause at a meeting of the Labour Friends of Israel, Mr Watson hailed the work of MPs Joan Ryan, Ian Austin and Luciana Berger, all of whom have been the targets of abuse and criticism for their efforts to expose anti-Semitism.

The meeting was also attended by shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry, who earlier told the conference that anti-Semites must be kicked out of the party.