The secretary of Jewish Voice For Labour has attempted to apologise for his "Jews in the gutter” speech at a Palestinian rally which was exposed by the JC, insisting: “I am not pleased with the language I used.”

Glyn Secker, who is said to be under official investigation by Labour over his remarks, issued his “apology” on the JVL website – even though the pro-Jeremy Corbyn group had initially attempted to suggest the JC’s report was false.

Mr Secker, a former member of the Socialist Workers Party, wrote: “At the rally, which highlighted the deaths and injuries suffered by Gazans demonstrating for their freedom, I allowed my outrage to dictate my expression and I am not pleased with the language I used.

“I was referring to the small number of Jews who disgrace our communities by working with neo-fascist groups, and I was criticising those Jews in leading positions who fail to call them out. I was not referring of course to Jews in general, and I regret, and I am sorry, that my language allowed of this interpretation.

“The purpose of the demonstration was to assert support for Palestinian human rights in the face of Israeli oppression and I apologise if my message in any way detracted from this.”

Addressing a rally organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Mr Secker had described the Jewish Labour Movement, Labour deputy leader Tom Watson and Dame Margaret Hodge as a “fifth column” inside the party.

He also falsely attempted to link Jewish communal groups including the Zionist Federation with the far-right English Defence League.

Mr Secker’s speech was later widely condemned – but pro-Corbyn commentator Owen Jones still retweeted an incorrect assessment of the rally remarks written by hard-left online activist Jamie Stern-Weiner.

Mr Jones later accepted he needed to be more careful with what he retweeted on his account. Mr Stern-Weiner accepted he was wrong to describe the JC’s report as a “lie.”

As a member of Dulwich and West Norwood Labour Party, Mr Secker has been the subject of repeated complaints from Jewish Labour members about his conduct.