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John McDonnell calls Labour 'antisemitic' in live interview slip up

'We are a party that is anti-racist and antisemitic... Sorry, we are against antisemitism'

July 25, 2018 11:08
Labour's Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell
1 min read

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell slipped up during a live radio interview and referred to Labour an "antisemitic party" as he tried to define it amid the crisis engulfing the party.

Speaking on BBC Radio Four's Today programme on Wednesday, Mr McDonnell accused Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge of "haranguing" Jeremy Corbyn when she confronted him in the House of Commons last week and having a "complete misunderstanding" of the code of conduct on Jew-hate, which has provoked huge anger among the Jewish community.

In a verbal slipup, he said: "Let me put this message out to anyone. We are a party that is anti-racist and antisemitic."

He then tried to correct himself, saying: "Sorry, we are against antisemitism.”