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Labour's Jewish community liaison's Twitter was part of pro-Corbyn 'engine room' attacking antisemitism claims

Heather Mendick's now-deleted account - @helensclegel - was identified as being among the most influential driving the online conversation around Jew-hate

August 5, 2019 12:20
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HULL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 03: Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn steps off a train from Leeds as he tours the North of England by rail today on September 3, 2018 in Hull, England. Labour under Mr Corbyn are proposing a 'Crossrail for the North' linking the North East and North West of England with a new rail line. (Photo by Jack Taylor/Getty Images)
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Labour's liaison with the Jewish community's Twitter account was identified as part of a pro-Corbyn "engine room" dismissing allegations of antisemitism, the JC has learned.

Heather Mendick, whose appointment to manage relationships with the community was widely condemned and led to Jewish groups refusing to engage with her, had a now-deleted account - @helensclegel - that antisemitism watchdog the CST listed among 36 influential accounts driving the online conversation around Jew-hate in Jeremy Corbyn's party.

These Twitter accounts had all claimed "that allegations of antisemitism in the Labour Party are exaggerated, weaponised, invented or blown out of proportion, or that Labour and Corbyn are victims of a smear campaign relating to antisemitism", CST's report said.

"Some have changed their position on these issues over the four years covered by this report, but all have, at one time or another, helped to build this narrative through the sharing of online content."