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Ms Harman told the anti-semitic joke to illustrate what she had previously objected to but suggested that it was something that Andrew Neil would find funny. During a debate on what is an offensive joke, Ms Harman told BBC This Week: “I’ve long been accused of being a humourless feminist and I’ll give you two examples that I’ll protest about because they were offensive and hurtful. “So, this was a Guy's hospital rag magazine back in the day and people like Andrew say that these things are perfectly alright. She then repeated an antisemitic joke saying it 'wasn't funny.'

BBC Andrew Neil was furious with Harriet Harman's joke

But Andrew Neil quickly hit back and said: “Alright, well we’ll stop with that one example and we won’t bore with the minute silence that you would dare to think that I would think about that because you have no knowledge of that at all. Ms Harman then interrupted Mr Neil and tried to justify the joke, to which Mr Neil snapped “be quiet”. Twitter users appeared to be furious that Ms Harman said the joke on TV, including Mr Neil, who wrote that he was “appalled” and “upset”. Mr Neil spoke at the Holocaust Educational Trust Appeal Dinner last month where he gave a passionate speech on anti-Semitism.

During the speech, Mr Neil claimed that anti-semitism is more prevalent among the left than ever before. The journalist and commentator said that anti-semitism from the left is not just proven from academic studies but also from “casual observation”. Mr Neil said: “What has surprised me, for I think it was entirely unpredictable, was that the new development in this area is the rise of antisemitism on the far left. “And that is more dangerous, than the knuckle-dragging right.

Simon Johnson, chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, said: “I cannot recall being so disappointed in a politician. Harriet Harman must surely know better than to repeat a vile holocaust joke, irrespective of the point she was trying to make. She must apologise and do so quickly. It is a staggering error of judgement”. Express.co.uk have attempted to contact Harriet Harman directly but have not received a response. But Ms Harman responded on Twitter by publishing a section from her book "A Woman's Work".

Twitter Harriet Harman responded by publishing a section from her book "A Woman's Work"

Twitter Andrew Neil responds to Harriet Harman’s comments

Twitter Andrew Neil responds to Harriet Harman’s comments

Twitter Twitter responds to Harriet Harman's comments