Jewish leaders described a crucial meeting with Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism in the Labour Party as a 'disappointing missed opportunity'
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Jewish leaders described a crucial meeting with Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism in the Labour Party as a “ disappointing missed opportunity”.
Leaders said their hope of “building trust” with Mr Corbyn had been dashed after his failure to agree to any of their demands.
They issued a damning statement following the two-hour meeting with the Labour leader saying that Mr Corbyn’s proposals “fell short of the minimum level of action which our letter suggested”.
Referring to an article penned by Mr Corbyn, they continued: “Words in letters and newspaper articles will never be enough.
“We welcome the fact that Mr Corbyn’s words have changed but it is action by which the Jewish community will judge him and the Labour Party.”
Referring to the huge demonstration outside Parliament by Jewish Labour MPs and members they said: “Thousands of British Jews did not demonstrate outside Parliament just for a few lawyers and another newspaper article; they demanded action and so do we.”
But Mr Corbyn described it as a “positive and constructive” meeting.
(Image: PA)
And he repeated his commitment to “rooting out antisemitism from our party and our society”.
Before the gathering Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush said he hoped it was a "turning point" but following their discussion his appointment was apparent.
Jeremy Corbyn hosted the meeting alongside new general secretary Jennie Formby and shadow communities and local government secretary Andrew Gwynne.
Earlier today the Labour leader delivered his most fullsome apology yet for the anti- Semitism within his party.
Mr Corbyn has been dogged by claims anti-Semitism has been allowed to run “rife” in the party under his premiership.
He admitted the party’s internal checks have “been simply not fully fit for purpose” and “we did not look closely enough at ourselves”.
(Image: PA)
“We have not done enough fully to get to grips with the problem, and for that the Jewish community and our own Jewish members deserve an apology,” he writes.
“My party and I are sorry for the hurt and distress caused.”
The Labour leader’s admissions came in an article for the London Evening Standard, published just hours before his meeting with representatives from the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council.
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He said: "We must also face the uncomfortable fact that a small number of our members and supporters hold anti-Semitic views and attitudes, which need to be confronted and dealt with more rapidly and effectively."
It comes after Jewish Labour MPs stood up in the House of Commons and gave distressing testimony of the anti-Semitic abuse they have faced.