Riding to the defence of Jeremy Corbyn this week was Independent columnist Yasmin Alibhai Brown, who denounced attacks made on him by "hard Zionists". Some of his friends, she pointed out, were "conscientious and ethical British Jews" such as the late cricket writer Mike Marqusee and Ken Loach (both strong critics of Israel).

Ken Loach Jewish? Only on Planet Alibhai Brown. The left-wing film director may have a Jewish son-in-law, actor Elliot Levey, but as Loach's production company confirmed, he is not about to make up a minyan near you.