Thread by @TimesCorbyn

Corbyn (like Livingstone) claims he had never seen any antisemitism in the Labour Party.

Despite being friends with & defending three of the most high profile Labour members accused of antisemitism/disrepute: Ken Livingstone, Marc Wadsworth and Jackie Walker. 1/13

Corbyn felt able to 'condemn' what Livingstone said about Hitler & Zionism because they were 'untrue', but was that also on the basis that they were racist and antisemitic?

Corbyn: "I think that's the wrong comparison to draw" 2/13

Moments later Corbyn then backtracks on whether Livingstone's racist comments were 'wrong and unacceptable' saying that he made a judgement that Livingstone should be suspended. 3/13

Corbyn was pressed again on whether Ken's remarks on Hitler & Zionism were racist and antisemitic.

Despite Shame Chakrabarti's notes and prompts, he was still unable to say they were racist and antisemitic. 4/13

Finally, was Ken Livingstone still a 'friend' (in the Hamas sense or otherwise).

Corbyn first tries to defend him as anti-racist campaigner, before eventually (and somewhat reluctantly) admitted that they had been friends for a very long-time. 5/13

Another long-term 'anti-racist' campaigner is Marc Wadsworth, the man who abused Ruth Smeeth at the Chakrabarti inquiry launch.

Corbyn and Wadsworth have been 'friends' for years, they even have each others mobile numbers. 6/13

Ruth Smeeth left the Charkrabati inquiry launch in tears, after being abused by Marc Wadsworth, did Corbyn think as Labour leader he should have intervened and stopped him?

"I wasn't aware that she had left"
"he did make another point, which was a reasonable one" 7/13

Wadsworth and Corbyn spoke again after the event

"But you didn't see that as an opportunity to pick him up on his comment to Ruth Smeeth"

Corbyn: [silence] I wanted...

@ChukaUmunna: Clearly not, let's me move on.

Corbyn: Ok. 8/13

@ChukaUmunna "Jackie Walker vice chair of the Momentum movement wrote about the African Holocaust and Jews as chief financiers of the Sugar and Slave Trade"

Corbyn: "...She is someone who does have a deep understanding of issues of racism."

That doesn't mean you can be racist though. 9/13

@ChukaUmunna Even Livingstone thought what Jackie Walker said was antisemitic, but did Corbyn also think that?

Corbyn: "True or not, it was the wrong comparison to draw."

TRUE OR NOT!
NOT. 10/13

@ChukaUmunna Is Corbyn actually agreeing with Walker?

"Rather than the fact of what they were doing, which was apparently financing the Slave Trade"

THE FACT.

APPARENTLY funding the slave Trade. 11/13

@ChukaUmunna You're happy to have someone [Jackie Walker] in the Party who's made those comments?

Corbyn: "...she will make a positive contribution to our Party & not in anyway indulge in any activities that would damage the Party."

Really? 12/13

@ChukaUmunna Walker was suspended less than 3 months later, and quit just before she was expelled from the Labour Party, as did Ken Livingstone. Wadsworth was expelled from the Labour Party.

All are friends & were defended by Corbyn 13/13 #BBCQT #LabourRacists #GE19
theguardian.com/politics/2016/…