Jeremy Corbyn is a "militant opponent of anti-Semitism" and is "absolutely committed" to tackling it, says a Labour spokesperson.

The comments come after one of Mr Corbyn's own MPs accused the party's leader of "supporting and defending" extremists and anti-Semites.

Ian Austin, the son of adoptive Jewish parents who lost relatives in the Holocaust, is facing possible disciplinary action after clashing with the party's chairman.

Mr Austin had been angered by the National Executive Committee's (NEC) failure to fully adopt a widely-backed definition of anti-Semitism.

The Dudley North MP has said a row that has seen Labour criticised by a string of Jewish groups has left him "deeply ashamed" of the party.


He said of Mr Corbyn: "Somebody with views and history like his isn't really suited to the leadership of a mainstream political party."

Image: Ian Austin has been a strong critic of Jeremy Corbyn

When asked if he was just speaking out because he doesn't want Mr Corbyn leading the party, he told BBC Radio 4's The World This Weekend: "He was never my choice to lead the Labour Party that's true, but what do people think?

"That I'm so worried about his plans to nationalise the railways or something that I would invent all this stuff?

"It's actually the other way around.

"It's because he has spent his entire time in politics on the extreme fringes of the Labour Party, supporting and defending all sorts of extremists and in some cases frankly, anti-Semites."

The NEC, Labour's governing body, did not include the full definition of anti-Semitism - as set out by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) - in its new code of conduct.

PM: Labour trying to redefine anti-Semitism

The party's code does endorse the IHRA's working definition of anti-Semitism but omits four examples.

They are:

:: Accusing Jewish people of being more loyal to Israel than their home country.

:: Claiming that Israel's existence as a state is a racist endeavour.

:: Requiring higher standards of behaviour from Israel than other nations.

:: Comparing contemporary Israeli policies to those of the Nazis.

The Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge has also been threatened with disciplinary action after she confronted Mr Corbyn in person over the issue of the IHRA definition.

Many other leading Labour MPs, including shadow cabinet ministers, have called on the party to adopt it in full.

Image: The Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge is facing disciplinary action after confronting Mr Corbyn

Labour insisted that while the examples are not reproduced word for word, they are covered in the new code.

The NEC has said it has "concerns about one half of one of the IHRA's 11 examples", adding that it could be "used to deny Palestinians, including Palestinian citizens of Israel and their supporters, their rights and freedoms to describe the discrimination and injustices they face in the language they deem appropriate".

Mr Austin said that allegations he "screamed abuse" at chairman Ian Lavery in the fallout are false, but admitted a "heated discussion" had taken place.

:: Sky Data poll: More than a third think Jeremy Corbyn tolerates anti-Semitism

He added: "I said that I thought the NEC's decision was a disgrace.

"Am I upset about anti-Semitism? Yes I am. I am upset about that and I'm upset as well about the leadership's failure, I think refusal really, to deal with this properly.

"I grew up listening to my dad tell me how he'd escaped from the Holocaust and how his mum and sisters were murdered in Treblinka (concentration camp) and that led to me joining the Labour Party as a teenager determined to fight racism."

Image: A Sky Data poll on Jeremy Corbyn and Labour's ongoing row over anti-Semitism

Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the last few days had been "utterly shameful for the party".

She added: "Jeremy Corbyn is leading the Labour Party into a dark place of ugly conspiracy theories and it has become a home for overt anti-Semites and anti-Semitism.

"In 2018, Labour is not only a party with extravagant levels of tolerance for anti-Semitism but one which deliberately obstructs measures to counter hatred and punishes those who speak out against it."

A Labour spokesperson said: "Jeremy Corbyn has made clear he is a militant opponent of anti-Semitism and is absolutely committed to tackling it.

"We are fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and its organisations.

"Jeremy Corbyn asked Labour's new General Secretary Jennie Formby to make speeding up and strengthening our disciplinary procedures against anti-Semitism her top priority.

"And to develop a comprehensive programme of political education to increase understanding of anti-Semitism and drive it out of our movement.

"The incidents referred to (in the Board of Deputies statement) were dealt with swiftly as soon as they were brought to our attention."