Former racial equalities chief Trevor Phillips slams Labour in astonishing onslaught as he brands Corbyn racist

Jeremy Corbyn was branded 'an anti-Semite and a racist' yesterday in an astonishing onslaught by former racial equalities chief Trevor Phillips. Long-time Labour member Mr Phillips tore in to Mr Corbyn, claiming the anti-Semitism row was 'killing our party'. But he warned the problem went much further than Mr Corbyn, saying the leader was surrounded by like-minded people.

Mr Phillips, who also hit out 'bullies' at the top of the party, told The Mail on Sunday: 'If he [Corbyn] were to step down tomorrow or be hit by a bus, don't forget there are people around him who are important in the party, who supported him…

'There are literally tens of thousands of activists who defend the behaviour that we have all been seeing from the leadership.'

Mr Corbyn's office angrily hit back, branding Mr Phillips's remarks as 'wrong and offensive'.

But Mr Phillips's explosive comments wrecked Labour's attempt to draw a line under the anti-Semitism controversy which has plagued the party all summer. Last week, Labour's ruling National Executive Committee finally adopted the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism after weeks of protests by Jewish community representatives.

But speaking yesterday, Mr Phillips reignited the row during a discussion on how to heal divisions in Britain, hosted by the Policy Exchange think-tank. Mr Phillips, former chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said: 'It doesn't help that one of our great parties, the one I belong to, is led by anti-Semites and racists who basically want to eliminate anyone who disagrees with them.'

Asked by The Mail on Sunday if he included the Labour leader in his 'anti-Semites' attack, he replied: 'Yes – I think Jeremy Corbyn's views have been pretty well ventilated and exposed.'

Mr Phillips, 64, said he had known Mr Corbyn for 40 years and had no personal 'animus' against him. But the former equalities watchdog dismissed the argument put forward by allies of the Labour leader that he was in no way prejudiced.


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6146787/Former-racial-equalities-chief-Trevor-Phillips-slams-Labour-astonishing-onslaught.html