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Jeremy Corbyn finally says he is 'very sorry' for Labour antisemitism

Labour leader had repeatedly declined invitations to apologise but did so after ITV interviewer repeatedly urged him to

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LONDON, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 03: Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn supports ancillary workers protesting at Birkbeck College, SOAS University of London on December 03, 2019 in London, England. The Labour leader met with cleaners and catering staff who have organised themselves against employers. UK voters are set to go to the polls on December 12 in the country's third general election in less than five years. (Photo by Peter Summers/Getty Images)

 
 

Jeremy Corbyn has insisted he is “very sorry for everything that had has happened” with antisemitism in his party after repeatedly being asked on live TV – but tried to claim he was responsible for putting processes in place to tackle the problem in Labour.

Appearing on ITV’s This Morning on Tuesday, Mr Cobyn was repeatedly urged to “just say sorry” about the failure to tackle anti-Jewish hatred by host Phillip Schofield.

As the Labour leader tried to take credit for being the person wanting to get to grips with the problem in his party, he was asked by Mr Schofield to instead apologise several times.

Eventually Mr Corbyn said: "Obviously I'm very sorry for everything that had has happened but I want to make this clear: I am dealing with it, I have dealt with it.

"Other parties are also affected by antisemitism - candidates have been withdrawn by the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives and by us because of it. We just do not accept it in any form whatsoever."

But Mr Corbyn added: "When I became leader of the party there were no processes in place to deal with cases of antisemitism. I instituted those.

"I also made sure that for egregious cases, there was a rapid system of doing it and I proposed that to our national executive in July. I also instituted a process of education in the party."

Asked to discuss Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis’s claim that Jews were "justifiably anxious" about the prospect of him becoming Prime Minister, Mr Corbyn said: "I think the chief rabbi's comments really ought to be taken for what they are.

"He hasn't contacted me about it, I'm very happy to meet him, very happy to talk to him, very happy to talk to any representatives of any part of the Jewish community in our society because I recognise that antisemitism is a poison and it's very dangerous."

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