Every Day Brings A New Story On Labour Anti-Semitism Crisis: Former Labour MP

17 April 2019, 09:50 | Updated: 17 April 2019, 09:59

After shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon admitted to making an anti-Zionist remark, former Labour MP Ian Austin has said that the 'cover up' was just as bad as the 'crime'.

Shadow cabinet member Richard Burgon has said that he regrets saying that Zionism is the "enemy of peace" back in 2014.

The Labour MP for Leeds East denied making the remark in a BBC interview last year, but has now admitted doing so after footage emerged of him saying it.

The Labour Friends of Israel group accused him of "seemingly misleading the public".

Mr Burgon has said that he would not use the "simplistic language" again.

Ian Austin, a former Labour MP who left the party in February due to what he called a 'culture of antisemitism' spoke to Nick Ferrai about the story.

"I think Richard Burton should resign, and if he doesn't resign he should be sacked", said the now Independent MP for Dudley North.

The former Labour MP expressed: "To have said this in the first place is pretty terrible, and then to have been caught out not telling the truth about it, denying it, I think makes his position completely untenable. This is someone who conspires to be in charge of the legal system under a Labour government.

"I don't think any previous Labour leader would have tolerated someone saying that in the first place, and then being caught out denying it" he said, also referring to Corbyn as "completely unfit".

Mr Austin continued: "Every day brings a new story about the crisis of anti-semitism in the Labour party, every single day".

"People often say in politics the cover up is worse than the crime, but I think they're both pretty bad in this case", the MP said.