Maajid Nawaz: The Labour Party Is Now Institutionally Racist

1 September 2018, 14:09 | Updated: 8 September 2018, 07:42

Maajid Nawaz delivers a damning explanation as to why he believes the Labour Party can now be considered institutionally racist.

"Forgive me for saying that it's one thing after another with Corbyn... But all of this stuff starts to pile up," Maajid starts.

The LBC presenter has already expressed his frustration at Jeremy Corbyn's handling of the anti-semitism row, describing him as "not fit for office" and "wilfully ignorant" in the past.

But Maajid took a damning swipe at the party.

"If I started to build a record, if I started to build some form of documentation for a right- wing politician that had been accused of similar flirtations with racism but towards, for example, somebody that looked like me instead of somebody that looked like a Jew, I suspect the left would take all of this mounting evidence and say that right-wing politician is a racist.

"In fact I don't suspect it, I'm pretty well darn sure of it."

Maajid Nawaz
Maajid Nawaz in the LBC studio. Picture: LBC

"With now what is essentially a mountain of evidence against Jeremy Corbyn, those same voices are refusing to accept that an atmosphere of racism has emerged inside the Labour Party," he said.

"I stand by this, and I know my race history in this country, the Labour Party is now institutionally racist.

"Now that doesn't mean every single member of the Labour Party is racist, it certainly doesn't mean everybody who votes for Labour is a racist, just like it didn't mean every single police member was racist when the official government report said that the police forces were institutionally racist.

"They weren't describing every single police man and woman as being a racist. What they were describing was structural racism within the British police forces.

"What with momentums takeover of the National Executive Council of the Labour Party and what with Jeremy Corbyn's stance on the definition of anti-semitism and the mountain of evidence of the leadership in the Labour party in the way they treat MPs who complain about it, I am left with the inescapable conclusion, which is a deeply regrettable thing for me to say.

"Considering I've never voted Conservative in my life, considering I grew up in a culture of anti-racism, considering that I have literally fought street battles with neo-nazis have attempted to hit me with hammers, it's with deep regret that I believe that the Labour Party is now institutionally racist."

More Maajid Nawaz

See more More Maajid Nawaz

Maajid Nawaz blasts No10's alleged double standards on Covid rules

Maajid Nawaz blasts No10's alleged double standards on Covid rules

Maajid Nawaz's powerful reaction to 'woke' Christmas ban

Maajid Nawaz's powerful reaction to 'woke' Christmas ban

'Want to stop channel crossings? Stop invading foreign countries'

'Want to stop channel crossings? Stop invading foreign countries'

Maajid Nawaz: 'Tory sleaze the Achilles heel of government'

Maajid Nawaz: 'Tory sleaze the Achilles heel of government'

Exclusive
Whistleblower exposes UN leaks of Chinese dissident information

Whistleblower exposes UN leaks of Chinese dissident information

Maajid Nawaz hits back at Prince Charles' climate-call on the private sector

Maajid Nawaz hits back at Prince Charles' climate call on the private sector

Maajid Nawaz defends Jesy Nelson in 'blackfishing' row

Maajid Nawaz defends Jesy Nelson in 'blackfishing' row

Maajid Nawaz: Vetting voters for MP meetings 'further alienates' Brits

Maajid Nawaz: Vetting voters for MP meetings 'further alienates' Brits

Maajid Nawaz: 'Muslims in Southend-on-Sea know and love Sir David Amess'

Maajid Nawaz: Muslims in Southend-on-Sea know and love Sir David Amess

Iain Dale: Make Southend a city to honour Sir David Amess

Iain Dale: Make Southend a city to honour Sir David Amess

Maajid Nawaz backs calls to grant asylum seekers right to work

Maajid Nawaz backs calls to grant asylum seekers right to work

Chinese invasion of Taiwan will spark 'global conflict', Maajid Nawaz fears

Chinese invasion of Taiwan will spark 'global conflict', Maajid Nawaz fears

Maajid Nawaz: Jab deadline for care home workers will 'trigger' winter 'plan B'

Maajid Nawaz: Jab deadline for care home workers will 'trigger' winter 'plan B'

Maajid Nawaz: Troop deployment shows govt 'has monumentally failed' Britain

Maajid Nawaz: Troop deployment shows govt 'has monumentally failed' Britain

Maajid Nawaz: It's 'wrong' for Remainers to say 'I told you so' about lorry driver shortage

Maajid Nawaz: It's wrong for Remainers to say 'I told you so' about lorry driver shortage

Maajid Nawaz clashes with caller 'pinning' HGV driver shortage on Brexit

Maajid Nawaz clashes with caller 'pinning' HGV driver shortage on Brexit