A prominent leftwing journalist has accused Countdown present Rachel Riley of being part of a "coordinated" attack on him.
Ms Riley, who is Jewish, said Aaron Bastani, who often speaks on the mainstream media and helps run leftwing alternative media site Novara Media, "needs stand up to and quickly".
This was amid an online storm over Mr Bastani's position on several issues, including Labour antisemitism, prompted by a series of tweets about things he has written on the social media site, which Ms Riley shared.
One person who needs standing up to, and quickly is Aaron Bastani. Have a read of this icon amongst the current left... https://t.co/Zvweeujieq
— Rachel Riley (@RachelRileyRR) December 30, 2018
Ms Riley has previously been critical of antisemitism and Labour's handling of it, prompting her to face waves of antisemitic attacks online.
Mr Bastini replied to her tweet about him to say it was "obvious this stuff is entirely coordinated"
At this point it’s beyond obvious this stuff is entirely coordinated. No doubt informally, through WhatsApp groups and backchannels.
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) December 30, 2018
2018 is the year labour ‘moderates’ truly lost it. https://t.co/kdQjpqDQ7z
He then added it was "plainly obviousy there's a level of backchannel communication going on".
Nope, just plainly obvious there’s a level of backchannel communication going on.
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) December 30, 2018
He was then roundly mocked for suggesting a television personality was part of a campaign to discredit him.
Bastani identifying a countdown presenter as a deep state black ops conspirator is 100% the funniest thing to happen on Twitter in 2018.
— Sam Freedman (@Samfr) December 30, 2018
All agents. Please note that the next episode of Countdown is not on until 2 Jan. Quartermaster Riley will reveal the new subject’s name in the first ad break conundrum. Until then, continue with current targets.
— Dan Fox Fan 1800-1980 (@d4nf0x) December 31, 2018
Ms Riley mocked his comment, saying
People most concerned about Antisemitism (let’s call them “Jews”), ((*but not in an antisemitic way)), don’t just talk to each other, they use “backchannel” communications.
— Rachel Riley (@RachelRileyRR) December 31, 2018
Says the guy WHILST screaming ‘smear’.
Fucking hell. https://t.co/iqslzchSsi
Mr Bastani has claimed one of his old tweets, in which he used the words "Soros/Rothschild", has been misrepresented to suggest it was antisemitic.
After he asked Ms Riley and others for an apology, she replied: "I apologise to all of decent society brought up valuing equality, decrying racism, that it took me so long to notice the scale of the growing, institutional problem of antisemitism in the left, and then learn enough history to be able to speak out against it."
I apologise to all of decent society brought up valuing equality, decrying racism, that it took me so long to notice the scale of the growing, institutional problem of Antisemitism in the left, and then learn enough history to be able to speak out against it.
— Rachel Riley (@RachelRileyRR) December 31, 2018
Won’t happen again. https://t.co/O89j0TfkG1
