Jeremy Corbyn reported to Parliamentary standards watchdog by Tory MP over Zionist 'irony' comment

Jeremy Corbyn, pictured giving a media reform speech on Thursday, has been reported to the parliamentary standards watchdog
Neil Hanna/PA
James Morris24 August 2018
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Jeremy Corbyn has been reported to the parliamentary standards watchdog by a Tory MP over a comment he made suggesting British Zionists do not understand "English irony".

Helen Grant argued the comment, which also drew criticism from Jewish Labour members, breached the MPs' code of conduct and brought Parliament into disrepute.

Footage emerged from a conference in 2013 in which Mr Corbyn said: "[British Zionists] clearly have two problems. One is they don't want to study history and secondly, having lived in this country for a very long time, probably all their lives, they don't understand English irony either."

Ms Grant, the Tory vice chair for communities, has written to Kathryn Stone, parliamentary commissioner for standards, asking that Mr Corbyn be investigated over the comments.

The Maidstone MP said the comments had been branded "xenophobic and anti-Semitic" by the chairman of the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism, and praised by Nick Griffin, the former leader of the far-right British National Party.

She wrote: "Mr Corbyn has undoubtedly brought this House and its members into disrepute.

"This country has rightly always demanded more from our parliamentarians.

"It is clear that Mr Corbyn has not reached the bar set by the Code of Conduct for members, and I therefore ask that you investigate."

Helen Grant said Mr Corbyn 'has undoubtedly brought this House and its members into disrepute' ( Yui Mok/PA)
Yui Mok/PA

In a statement on Friday, Mr Corbyn said he spoke out at a 2013 conference to "defend the Palestinian ambassador in the face of what I thought were deliberate misrepresentations" from people "for whom English was a first language, when it isn't for the ambassador".

Mr Corbyn said: "I described those pro-Israel activists as Zionists, in the accurate political sense and not as a euphemism for Jewish people - and that is made clear in the rest of my speech that day.

"I am now more careful with how I might use the term 'Zionist' because a once self-identifying political term has been increasingly hijacked by anti-Semites as code for Jews."

But Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger said the video contained "inexcusable comments" which made her feel "unwelcome in my own party".

She wrote on Twitter: "The video released today of the leader of @UKLabour making inexcusable comments - defended by a party spokesman - makes me as a proud British Jew feel unwelcome in my own party.

Luciana Berger pictured in March during the Parliament Square protest against anti-Semitism in the Labour Party
Yui Mok/PA
"I've lived in Britain all my life and I don't need any lessons in history/irony."

She was supported by fellow Labour backbenchers, with Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell tweeting: "Standing right with you @lucianaberger."

Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson wrote: "Right beside you @lucianaberger."

In recent weeks, Mr Corbyn has come under increasing pressure over issues linked to anti-Semitism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including the party's definition of anti-Semitism, his 2014 visit to a Palestinian cemetery in Tunisia and meetings with those connected to the Palestinian cause.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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