Jeremy Corbyn says Labour is tackling anti-Semitism after MPs quit party

Jeremy Corbyn insisted he was tackling anti-Semitism in Labour following the resignation of eight MPs in protest at his leadership.

The Labour leader said his party “takes the strongest action to deal with anti-Semitism wherever it rears its head”.

Enfield North’s Joan Ryan became the latest Labour MP to quit, claiming that under Mr Corbyn it had become an “institutionally anti-Semitic party”.

Jeremy Corbyn (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

At Prime Minister’s Questions, Theresa May said: “I never thought I would see the day when Jewish people in his country were concerned about their future in this country, and I never thought I would see the day when a once proud Labour Party was accused of institutional anti-Semitism by a former member of that party.

“It is incumbent on all of us in this House to ensure that we act against anti-Semitism wherever and however it occurs - it is racism and we stand against it.”

Mr Corbyn responded by saying that “anti-Semitism has no place whatsoever in any of our political parties, in our lives, in our society”.

He added: “My own political party takes the strongest action to deal with anti-Semitism wherever it rears its head.”

Later in the debate, Tory MP Maria Caulfield (Lewes) brought up Ann Meadows, a former Labour councillor who has left the party to join the the Conservatives this morning.

She said it was due to the “rise of anti-Semitism and bullying that she and her colleagues have received under Momentum”, adding that it showed the problem was “rife throughout the whole of the Labour Party”.

The PM agreed, saying: “And that’s the harsh reality that decent, moderate Labour councillors are having to face, due to Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to stand up to bullying and racism in his party.”

She said she welcomed Ms Meadows “with open arms”, adding she was “sure she will be an excellent Conservative councillor”.