Caller Quits Labour Party On LBC Over Anti-Semitism

14 July 2019, 14:57 | Updated: 14 July 2019, 15:20

A member of the Labour Party tells Maajid Nawaz he decided to quit after hearing an LBC caller wholeheartedly apologise for being anti-Semitic.

James said he could no longer be a long-standing member of the Labour Party because of the problems of anti-Semitism.

Speaking to Maajid Nawaz, the caller said he had "defended Labour against accusations of anti-Semitism".

But a previous caller, Amir, convinced him "more than anything else" that he had been looking at the issue "the wrong way".

"I've always wanted to believe that the Labour Party that I joined was anti-racist," he said.

"I've always believed Jeremy Corbyn was a man of integrity and this was way before he was elected leader of the Labour Party, I've always believed him to be a defender of peoples' rights.

"And I've never been convinced until today that he actually leads an organisation which covers up anti-Semitism to the extent in which it clearly does."

James made reference to a call from Amir, who described once being "very active" in the leadership circles of the radical left.

In his call, in which he wholeheartedly apologised for having an anti-Semitic past, Amir said: "What goes on behind closed doors is far worse, far worse than anything that has come out.

"What me and my former comrades used to say behind closed doors about Jews, we made no distinction between Jews and Zionists."

"The moment Jeremy Corbyn, who's best friends with Ken Livingstone and George Galloway, came into power, I basically started my stopwatch and said it won't take too long before all this comes out."

Amir finished his call with an apology, telling Maajid: "My own bias is my hatred for my former self.

"If there are any Jews listeners I just want to wholeheartedly apologise for my actions that I used to have in those days, and the shame that I will have to live with for the rest of my life."

Watch above.