Labour has launched an extraordinary bid to get the BBC's bombshell Panorama expose of anti-Semitism removed from iPlayer.

The party said it wanted the documentary, which was broadcast last Wednesday, taken offline until 'basic facts' were corrected and the corporation issued an apology.

The strongarm tactics from Jeremy Corbyn's team came as Labour's civil war over anti-Semitism escalated dramatically.

Two whistleblowers who spoke to Panorama have threatened to sue the party for suggesting they were motivated by damaging Mr Corbyn.

Meanwhile, shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry has condemned Tom Watson for raising the conduct of general secretary Jennie Formby while she is undergoing cancer treatment.

In stark contrast to the party's official response, Mr Watson described the documentary as 'chilling'. Backbench MP Rosie Duffield warned today that Labour was probably 'institutionally anti-Semitic'.

A Labour spokesman said the party would 'call for the programme to be removed from BBC iPlayer until basic facts are corrected, full and unedited quotes are used, and an apology is issued'.

'Despite a record of public hostility to Jeremy Corbyn and his politics from presenter John Ware and several of those interviewed, analysis found that in the 59-minute programme, the party's position was on screen for just five minutes and one second, the spokesman said.

'The programme completely failed to interview balancing voices who could provide a fuller and less biased and overtly politically one-sided view on this important issue.'

The BBC has strongly defended the Panorama expose and the presenter.

Labour claimed the allegations in Panorama were made by 'disaffected former officials' opposed to the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn (pictured last week)

Former officials Sam Matthews and Louise Withers Green (pictured) said they had been defamed by Labour in its response to a bombshell Panorama explose

The whistleblowers have now upped the ante by accusing the party of trying to 'destroy reputations'.

Former officials Sam Matthews and Louise Withers Green said they had been defamed by Labour in its response to a bombshell Panorama explose.

The damning programme - shown on Wednesday - included claims that senior figures, including general secretary Jennie Formby, interfered in anti-Semitism investigations.

Deputy leader Tom Watson described the allegations as 'chilling' and demanded action from the party.

But Labour hit back by insisting the allegations came from 'disaffected former officials' opposed to Mr Corbyn's leadership who had 'personal and political axes to grind', casting doubt on their 'credibility' as sources.

Labour MPs condemn treatment of staffers who blow whistle on anti-Semitism Yvette Cooper is among 28 Labour MPs who have signed a letter condemning the party's treatment of anti-Semitism whistleblowers. The Home Affairs committee chair and her colleagues on the Tribune group said they were 'shocked' by the revelations in the Panorama documentary. 'We support former employees in speaking out and commend their bravery in doing so,' the letter said. 'The Labour Party has always and always will support whistle blowers in coming forward when they are concerned about wrongdoing. 'We stand in solidarity with the Jewish community and with Jewish members of the Labour Party in these very difficult circumstances. It is totally unacceptable that Jewish members no longer feel welcome or safe in the Labour Party.' Advertisement

Veteran MP Margaret Hodge today branded the reaction to the documentary 'deplorable', saying the leadership appeared 'doggedly determined' to avoid tackling the issues.

Mark Lewis, the media lawyer acting for the pair, told The Observer: 'These are very serious libels.

'Those representing the Labour party have acted in a way that set out to destroy the reputations of the whistleblowers.

'In their effort to destroy these people, they have left it for the courts to decide who is telling the truth.

'It is ironic that the bosses at the workers' party have decided to go against the workers.'

Mr Matthews and Ms Withers Green - who broke non-disclosure agreements to speak out - were among eight former party employees featured in the programme.

In an interview with the BBC Andrew Marr Show today, Emily Thornberry said the party needed to face up to the fact that it still has a problem with anti-Semitism.

'I think that we shouldn't be going for the messengers, we should be looking at the message. I think that is what is important,' she said.

'Nobody can pretend that there isn't an ongoing problem within the Labour Party about anti-Semitism, about our processes for dealing with it.'

However Ms Thornberry also criticised Mr Watson for raising the conduct of Ms Formby while she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

'I wish he wasn't attacking somebody who is going through chemotherapy. I think that is a mistake,' she said.

Labour backbencher Rosie Duffield has warned that the party is 'institutionally anti-Semitic' and urgent change was needed

In an interview with the BBC Andrew Marr Show today, Emily Thornberry said the party needed to face up to the fact that it still has a problem with anti-Semitism

'She is the general secretary of the Labour Party but we know that she is very ill. I think it is completely inappropriate to personalise this.'

Dame Margaret Hodge said she had been 'devastated' by the personal testimonies from former party staff.

The MP for Barking told Sky News's Sophy Ridge On Sunday: 'I don't know how often, how many people, how many incidents of anti-Semitism we have to have on our televisions screens or in our newspapers for the party leadership to stand up and really listen. There seems to be a dogged determination not to listen.'

She added: 'It was utterly deplorable and a complete abuse of power for the leadership's reaction simply to try and pursue these people with lawyers and trying to shut them up.'

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell tried to play down the crisis, saying Labour was 'getting on top of this',

Thornberry wades into row over Labour chief's cancer treatment Emily Thornberry today joined rebukes of Tom Watson for raising anti-Semitism concerns while Labour's general secretary is being treated for cancer, Mrs Thornberry said the deputy leader was wrong to highlight the conduct of Jennie Formby while she was having chemotherapy. 'I wish he wasn't attacking somebody who is going through chemotherapy. I think that is a mistake,' she said. 'She is the general secretary of the Labour Party but we know that she is very ill. I think it is completely inappropriate to personalise this.' Advertisement

He told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: 'It's just so disappointing. I think we are sorting it out actually. I think we've got a new general secretary, we've put in place a system now.

'Someone said the other day (we are dealing with reports) eight times faster than it ever was before.

'We've now got lawyers involved, that really do - making sure that we don't lose any cases legally, so we have proper decision-making processes.

'There's always lessons to be learnt, but I think the way Jennie Formby our general secretary has operated, implemented the measures, is getting on top of this.'

Mr Matthews told The Observer: 'The Labour party is choosing to ignore the central charges of anti-Semitism raised by myself and other whistleblowers on Panorama, and instead, they have engaged in a concerted campaign to damage my name.'

Ms Withers Green told the paper she was 'incredibly disappointed' that the party had not taken action on the issues raised in the programme.

'This should be a stark wake-up call about our collective duty to root out racism. But instead the party has used its full weight to discredit us, with untrue, libellous statements,' she said.

Labour denied the comments were defamatory and said it would contest any legal action.

'These are justified statements of opinion. Any claims will be vigorously defended,' a spokesman said.

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson (pictured) described the allegations as 'chilling' and demanded action from the party

Labour has continued to contest the Panorama findings, with Mr Corbyn claiming it contained 'many, many inaccuracies'.

In a speech to the Durham Miners' Gala on Saturday, he said: 'The programme adopted a pre-determined position on its own website before it was broadcast.'

As tensions escalate within the party, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey launched a blistering attack on Mr Watson for criticising Ms Formby for her handling of the issue while she was undergoing treatment for cancer.

'I have a simple message for Tom Watson and his pals in the media - a simple message to Tom and his pals: You should f****** well be ashamed of yourselves,' he said to cheers from the crowd at Durham Racecourse.

'Jennie, our message to you is that the Durham Miners' Gala stands with you.'

Ms Duffield, MP for Canterbury, was asked on the BBC's Politics South East programme today whether she agreed that Labour was 'institutionally anti-Semitic'.

'I am afraid it probably is true,' she said. 'We absolutely have to deal with this urgently now. No more excuses, no more kicking it into the long grass.'

A BBC spokesperson said: 'The BBC stands by its journalism and we completely reject any accusations of bias or dishonesty.

'The investigation was not pre-determined, it was driven by the evidence. The outcome shows the serious questions facing the Labour Party and its leadership on this issue.

'The programme adhered to the BBC's editorial guidelines, including contacting the Labour Party in advance of the broadcast for a full right of reply.'

'There are no plans to remove the programme from iPlayer.'