Hitler would have accused Labour of antisemitism, says Ken Livingstone

As accusations of a deeply ambivalent attitude towards Jewish people dogs the Labour Party conference, party grandee Ken Livingstone has taken to the airwaves to explain the controversies were the result of “artificial machinations paid for by Palestinian blood and Rothschild gold”.

In a candid interview with LBC’s Simon Williams, the former mayor of London mustered a strong defence of his old comrade in arms, Jeremy Corbyn.

“For the first time in the 21st century, we have a genuinely independent social progressive with a chance of getting into number 10.

“That naturally terrifies the Zionist lobby and their banker friends. So they reach out their tentacles and get their people in the media to create unfounded rumours that some of us in the party are obsessed with the illegal apartheid state of Israel.”

Asked if his own controversial record helped create a perception that the Labour Party was failing to come to grips with the problem, Mr Livingstone explained that this was just another “blood libel”.

“They’re good at that. They may be rootless, but they’re very clever. And you know who else was obsessed with antisemitism? Hitler, that’s who.

“I’m not saying that people who raise concerns about Holocaust denial are like the Nazis but historically speaking they are. I bet the kosher cabal is going to spin my words and make a big fuss now.”

Momentum and the Labour Party were asked for a comment but both denied ever having heard of Ken Livingstone.