Dale Vince says future Labour donations 'TBC' after Bondi Beach shooting comments spark row with ministers

Mr Vince, who has given more than £5 million to Labour, said future donations to the party are now "TBC" after senior Labour figures put "words in my mouth".

The green entrepreneur wrote in the aftermath of the murder of 15 people at a Hanukah event in Sydney: "Commenting on the shootings in Australia today Netanyahu said Antisemitism spreads when leaders stay silent.

"Nothing to do with Israel committing Genocide in Palestine then. Netanyahu wants antisemitism to be a thing, it validates him – he acts to make it so."

Condemning the post, Health Secretary Wes Streeting blasted the comments as "completely wrong" but refused to comment on whether Labour should accept future donations from him.

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He said: "I do think those comments were completely wrong.

"However strongly one might feel about what's going on in Israel and Palestine, that is no excuse to support, or to condone, or to suggest that antisemitism is caused by the actions of Israel."

Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Kinnock told LBC Mr Vince "should apologise for that tweet".

"I think he should apologise for that tweet, and then you know, in terms of his support for the Labour Party, let's see.

"Let's ensure that he apologises, and I think we can review the position and take a decision on that basis," he said.

Mr Vince told LBC's Simon Marks he was "surprised by the reaction".

"Netanyahu blamed the Australian government on the Sunday of the atrocity. He blamed the policy for the attack. He said, they recognise Palestine, this is what you get, antisemitism," he said.

Mr Vince added: "It makes no sense for him to do that. I pointed out that he was overlooking his own acts of terror in Palestine as a more probable cause of rising antisemitism in the world.

"And I was very surprised. I wasn't so surprised with the right-wing media response. was very surprised with the Labour response actually.

"Because actually they put words into my mouth and they attacked me for things I didn't say. They accused me of a condoning people linking Israelis act of terror with, with hate crimes against Jews. I don't condone that. I don't condone any violence, any terrorism. And I was attacked for things I didn't say, which was a big surprise.”

Asked whether the row has made it less likely he will donate to Labour, Mr Vince replied: “I don't know. TBC.

"It was only a couple of weeks ago and like I said, Stephen Kinnock and Wes Streeting both put words into my mouth. Stephen Kinnock talked about what I implied. I didn't imply anything. I was very straightforward in what I said. It was incredibly wrong for Netanyahu to blame Australia for that atrocity. Where was the outcry over that?”

Mr Vince also refused to issue an apology for the comments.

“What I'm saying here is that surely it's obvious and I've had so many communications, emails from other people saying of course it's obvious, we all get it. Hate begets hate, terror begets terror. So, the acts of Israel and Palestine are driving anti Semitism around the world and hate crimes. It's unfortunate, but it's true,” he said.

LBC has approached Mr Streeting and Mr Kinnock for comment.