Boris: Anti-Semitism A "Virus" In Labour

28 April 2016, 16:50 | Updated: 25 August 2016, 16:33

Boris Johnson lambasts Ken Livingstone after his old foe's controversial comments on Israel - something Boris describes as either "reptilian" or "mad".

Earlier Livingstone's interview with James O'Brien was interrupted when Labour MP John Mann confronted him live on air, branding him a "Nazi apologist".

Ken had spoken to Iain Dale on LBC on Wednesday to defend Naz Shah after her anti-Israel comments and went on to claim that Adolf Hitler had been a Zionist.

"Ken has either emerged as all along having possessed some deeply reptilian and unpleasant views - or he's gone mad," Mr Johnson told Iain Dale this evening.

"To say that Adolf Hitler was a Zionist is a really very perplexing view of history.

"What worries me is that people will believe that kind of thing and will think it's coming from somebody who's held an important office, that there's must be an element of truth."

Iain asked Boris: "So you basically think he is an anti-Semite, judging from what you've just said?"

"I certainly think that he's been guilty of some very very serious anti-Semitic comments, yes," replied the London Mayor. "Beyond belief, I do not understand what he's driving at."

Johnson then suggested that anti-Semitism was rife in the Labour Party, branding it a "virus...that needs to be addressed."

Later in the interview, Iain took issue with Boris Johnson trying to link Sadiq Khan to the whole anti-Semitism row that has the Labour party in turmoil.

Boris claimed that Sadiq "emanated from the bowels of the Corbynista movement...it's that group it seems to me is having a great deal of difficulty getting rid of this virus of strong hostility to Israel."

"A lot of people will find it strange that you think Sadiq Khan is part of that when he's completely disassociated himself from Ken Livingstone's comments," replied Iain.