Jewish Labour MP: Jeremy Corbyn Hasn't Acknowledged The Party Has A Problem

25 February 2019, 08:42

A Jewish Labour MP has revealed a friend had changed her Twitter password to stop her seeing the anti-Semitic abuse she receives.

Ruth Smeeth told LBC that she has been on the receiving end of "vile abuse" from Labour Party members and she doesn't think leader Jeremy Corbyn even acknowledges that there is a problem.

However, she insisted she won't be following Luciana Berger out of the party, saying she wants to stay and fight from the inside.

Speaking to Nick Ferrari, she said: "It's heartbreaking. Luciana has literally been hounded out of the Labour Party for being a Jewish woman.

"She and I come at this from different positions. I'm adamant to fight my corner form within the party. I am not prepared for any Jew to be hounded out. If the party won't fix this, then they are going to hear from me every single day until this is resolved.

"I understand why Luciana has gone. The abuse we're all suffering is miserable."

Ruth Smeeth was very strong about the anti-Semitism problem within Labour
Ruth Smeeth was very strong about the anti-Semitism problem within Labour. Picture: PA / LBC

Asked how she felt the Labour leadership were dealing with the problem of anti-Semitism in the party, she responded: "I'm delighted that Tom Watson is showing leadership when we aren't seeing it from Jeremy Corbyn on this issue.

"I still don't think Mr Corbyn has asked himself why people have resigned and acknowledged that this is a genuine problem within the party."

Nick queried how Ms Smeeth was coping with the issue and her answer should be a real eye-opener for the party.

She said: "One of my friends changed by Twitter password so I can't see anything that's being said about me. My staff hide all the abuse.

"I have party members saying vile things about me who have never met me.

"If they have those values, they have no right to be in my party at all and they can leave."