Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn was reportedly a member of a secret Facebook group currently under investigation over claims it hosted antisemitic material, including Holocaust denial theories.
The Labour leader’s comments in a group called “Palestine Live” were unearthed on Wednesday by David Collier, an antisemitism researcher. The group has about 3,000 members, including Holocaust deniers, white supremacists and anti-Semites, who have to be invited or added by administrators.
Comments posted by members of the group include conspiracy theories about the Rothschild family, Israel’s supposed involvement in the 9/11 attacks, and links to material produced by neo-Nazi groups.
One of the thousands of posts included an image of a pig with ‘Israel Lobby’ written on its side, with four politicians suckling from it.
A number of Labour Party members have been suspended from the party as a result of Mr Collier’s expose.
Mr Corbyn, who left the group shortly after becoming Labour leader in 2015, made a few comments under group posts. Asked whether Mr Corbyn had known about antisemitic posts when using the group, a spokesman said: “I’m sure that he didn’t”.
The spokesman added that any members found to have made such posts would “be investigated and action will be taken on the evidence”.
There is no evidence that Mr Corbyn himself posted any antisemitic comments on the site.
Speaking to The Daily Telegraph, Vice-Chairman of CFI, Andrew Percy MP, said the disclosures highlighted Mr Corbyn’s “poor judgment” and failure to stamp out antisemitism in the Labour Party.
Members have included Paul Eisen, a Holocaust denier, Max Blumenthal, a controversial speaker accused of antisemitism, and Jackie Walker, former Vice-Chair of Momentum who has been suspended by Labour over accusations of antisemitism. Labour MPs Clive Lewis and Chris Williamson were also identified as member of the group, as well as Baroness Tonge, who was suspended from the Liberal Democrats.
Both Mr Williamson and Mr Lewis said they were unaware of any antisemitic or racist content on the group and had now removed themselves from it.
