Labour distances itself from thousands of anti-Semitic Facebook posts in pro-Jeremy Corbyn groups

Liz Bates

The Labour party has denied any involvement in pro-Jeremy Corbyn Facebook groups that include racist, anti-Semitic and violent comments.



The Labour party has denied any involvement in pro-Jeremy Corbyn Facebook groups that include racist, anti-Semitic and violent comments.

A Sunday Times investigation revealed over 2,000 abusive posts in groups backing the Labour leader, including attacks on Jewish people, praise of Hitler, threats to kill Theresa May and holocaust denial.

The paper claims that 12 senior Labour staff and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell are members.

However, a spokesman has denied any official link to the groups, saying they “are not run by the Labour Party or officially connected to the party in any way."

The new claims come as one of Labour’s leading Jewish donors has severed ties with Mr Corbyn’s party amid an ongoing anti-Semitism row.

Sir David Garrard told the Observer he no longer feels “any affinity or connection” with the party, and accused the leadership of failing to deal with “the most blatant acts of anti-Semitism”.

The donor, who has contributed £1.5 million to Labour since 2003, added: "I have watched with dismay and foreboding the manner in which the leadership has, in my view, over the last two years, conducted itself."

It follows last night’s dramatic resignation of Christine Shawcroft, who stepped down from the National Executive Committee after it was revealed she had defended a member accused of Holocaust denial.

Ms Shawcroft will be replaced by comedian Eddie Izzard.

Writing in the Sunday Times today, Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger said she had been forced to go to the police about the racist abuse she had received, including one email urging her to kill herself.

She wrote: “Where people indulge in illegal racist activity I will always use the full force of the law to pursue a prosecution.

“I will continue to do that even when they are people from the left.”