[kirklancaster]

Sadiq Khan: I wear badge of shame over anti-Semitism in Labour

Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan today said he wears a “badge of shame” because of anti-Semitism in his party.

He attacked Labour’s leadership for not taking a “tougher stance” and said he knew what it was to “suffer hate crime”, before adding: “I also know it’s unacceptable in 2016 that there is anti-Semitism in the Labour party.

“It’s with sorrow that I wear that badge of shame.” He added: “If it means members of my party, senior members of my party including members of [Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee] being trained about what anti-Semitism is, then so be it.”

NEC members include party leader Jeremy Corbyn. At a hustings organised by the London Jewish Forum, Jewish news and JW3 in Finchley Road, Mr Khan added: “I have said at the outset, I’m embarrassed and sorrowful about anti-Semitism in the party.

"I think the Labour leadership could have taken a tougher stance and needs to take a tougher stance.”

It comes after Mr Corbyn’s brother was dragged into the furore for comments relating to Jewish Labour MP Louise Ellman.

After she called for tougher action on anti-Semitism in the party, Piers Corbyn described her remarks as “absurd” and tweeted: “#Zionists cant cope with any-one supporting rights for #Palestine.”

The Sun reported that Jeremy Corbyn responded saying: “My brother has his point of view, I have mine and we actually fundamentally agree. We are a family that were brought up fighting racism from the day we were born.”