Theresa May has accused Jeremy Corbyn of allowing anti-Semitism to "run rife in his party" and angrily refuted the Labour leader's claim she is heading a "callous" government.

During heated exchanges at Prime Minister's Questions, Mrs May came under pressure from Mr Corbyn over the developing scandal of immigration problems suffered by Windrush generation British citizens.

Highlighting Mrs May's previous role as home secretary between 2010 and 2016, the Labour leader said: "Isn't the truth that under her, the Home Office became heartless and hopeless and doesn't she now run a government that is both callous and incompetent."

'Callous? I will not take that from you'

In response, Mrs May stressed the efforts the Government is making to ensure Windrush generation citizens have the correct documentation they need under tightened UK immigration controls.

However, the Prime Minister also raised the anti-Semitism row within Labour that has dogged Mr Corbyn in recent weeks.


Mrs May told the Labour leader: "I will not take an accusation of callous from a man who allows anti-Semitism to run rife in his party."

She highlighted "powerful contributions" made by Labour MPs Ruth Smeeth, Dame Margaret Hodge and Luciana Berger in a debate on anti-Semitism in the House of Commons on Tuesday night.

Later at PMQs, former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith also referred to the debate as he asked Mrs May whether she agreed that "not only should every political party have absolutely no place for anybody who is an anti-Semite, but also, just as importantly, should kick out of the party any apologists for anti-Semites as well".

The Prime Minister replied: "It is incredibly important for political parties in this country to show a very clear signal that we will not accept, we will not tolerate anti-Semitism in any form."

MP's anti-Semitism speech gets standing ovation

She then repeated her praise for those Labour MPs "who have suffered incredible abuse as a result of this anti-Semitism, but who also have shown incredible bravery in being willing to stand up and set that out to this House".

"Theirs was a fine example of the best of this House of Commons," Mrs May added.

In response to a question from the DUP's Westminster leader Nigel Dodds, the Prime Minister said the Government is "urgently" looking at the issue of liability for social media companies over online abuse, which Labour MPs recounted in Tuesday's debate.

"They are not publishers but on the other hand they are not just platforms," Mrs May told MPs.

Mr Dodds had asked the Prime Minister to ensure ministers can "bring social media companies to account and that the 'Wild West' culture of anything goes is brought to an end as quickly as possible".

Outside the House of Commons, Labour's Mayor of London Sadiq Khan revealed he has spoken to a number of Jewish individuals who would like to vote Labour but are "finding it very difficult", because they "genuinely believe" the Labour Party is not for them.