Jeremy Corbyn slammed by Labour MPs for criticising removal of anti-Semitic mural
The Labour leader is accused by his own MPs of failing to "understand on any level the hurt and anguish felt about anti-Semitism".
Friday 23 March 2018 23:17, UK
Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised by his own MPs over his apparent support for an anti-Semitic mural on a street in east London.
The mural, made by street artist Mear One, depicted a group of Jewish financiers and white businessmen playing a Monopoly-style game on a board balanced on the backs of people.
Included in the portrait, which was removed by Tower Hamlets Council after a number of complaints were made, also included an activist holding a banner which read: "The new world order is the enemy of humanity".
Mr Corbyn left a comment on a Facebook post by Mear One, real name Kalen Ockerman, in 2012 after the artist revealed his work was set to be whitewashed.
The Labour MP wrote: "Why? You are in good company.
"Rockerfeller (sic) destroyed Diego Viera's mural because it includes a picture of Lenin."
Mr Corbyn's response to the post was highlighted by Labour MP Luciana Berger, who said she had asked the party leader's office for an explanation on Friday.
In a statement, a spokesman for Mr Corbyn said: "In 2012, Jeremy was responding to concerns about the removal of public art on grounds of freedom of speech.
"However, the mural was offensive, used anti-Semitic imagery, which has no place in our society, and it is right that it was removed."
But hours later, Mr Corbyn released another statement, which read: "In 2012 I made a general comment about the removal of public art on grounds of freedom of speech. My comment referred to the destruction of the mural Man at the Crossroads by Diego Rivera on the Rockefeller Center.
"That is in no way comparable with the mural in the original post. I sincerely regret that I did not look more closely at the image I was commenting on, the contents of which are deeply disturbing and anti-Semitic.
"I wholeheartedly support its removal.
"I am opposed to the production of anti-Semitic material of any kind, and the defence of free speech cannot be used as a justification for the promotion of anti-Semitism in any form. That is a view I've always held."
Fellow Labour MP Wes Streeting said Ms Berger was "not alone" in demanding answers.
Ian Austin, Labour MP for Dudley North, also tweeted, saying: "Luciana won't be alone. I think lots of Labour members will want an explanation for this."
Meanwhile, Gavin Shuker, Labour and Co-operative MP for Luton South, said the statement from Mr Corbyn's spokesman "isn't even an apology".
He added: "I know this is like screaming into the wind; it'll make zero difference; but I want to state that this is just so wrong.
"It's impossible to confront anti-Semitism in our party if this is the response from the very top."
Later, Ms Berger said the response from the Labour leader's office was "wholly inadequate".
She added: "It fails to understand on any level the hurt and anguish felt about anti-Semitism. I will be raising this further."
Mear One denied the mural was anti-Semitic, saying it was about "class and privilege" and contained a group of bankers "made up of Jewish and white Anglos".