ANTI-CAPITALIST Jewish groups condemned right-wing Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh today after she appeared to suggest Jewish people control capitalism in a bizarre interview on Radio 4 this morning.

When host John Humphrys asked the Labour MP for Mitcham and Morden if she she thought the party was taking anti-semitism seriously, she said: “I’m not sure that some people in the Labour Party can.

“Because it’s very much part of their politics, of hard-left politics, to be against capitalists and to see Jewish people as the financiers of capital. Ergo you are anti-Jewish people.”

Humphrys then asked: “In other words, to be anti-capitalist you have to be anti-semitic?”

“Yes,” she replied, smearing many party members before quickly backtracking slightly and adding: “Not everybody, but there is a certain strand of it.

“These people are not Labour, have never been Labour, but we now find them in our party.”

Jewish Voice for Labour’s Mike Cushman told the Star McDonagh owed party members an apology.

“McDonagh seems to be suggesting that all or many Labour Party members believe that banks are controlled by Jews, classic Protocols of the Elders of Zion territory,” he said.

“She draws the conclusion that, therefore, Labour’s critique of the financial casino activities that almost crashed the world economy is motivated by anti-semitism.

“She attacks conspiracy theorists by launching a bizarre conspiracy of her own.

“She owes the tens and hundreds of thousands of party members who are campaigning for effective oversight of the banks a speedy and humble apology.

“Fighting for a fairer society and against inequality and austerity is not a symptom of anti-semitism. McDonagh cannot be allowed to silence criticism of capitalism within a socialist party.”

The Jewish Socialist Group’s David Rosenberg said Ms McDonagh and Mr Humphreys’ comments “made it very clear who is stereotyping the Jewish community.”

“Apart from this disgusting stereotyping,” Mr Rosenberg wrote on Facebook today, “both McDonagh and Humphreys should be ashamed of themselves for their slur on everyone who is fighting poverty, austerity, homelessness, zero-hours contracts in capitalist Tory Britain as anti-semites.

“The Jew=capitalists formula will also be interesting news for the Jews I know who are unemployed, struggling pensioners and single mothers, ordinary workers, secretaries, cab drivers, teachers, social workers, NHS staff.”