Jeremy Corbyn failed to empathise with British Jews because they are 'prosperous'

Jeremy Corbyn failed to empathise with British Jews because they are "prosperous", a former ally has said in a new anti-Semitism row.

Andrew Murray, who was a senior adviser to the former Labour leader, insisted Mr Corbyn was “empathetic”, but with those in society who are “at the bottom of the heap”.

According to the new book Left Out: The Inside Story of Labour under Corbyn, Mr Murray said: “He is very empathetic, Jeremy, but he's empathetic with the poor, the disadvantaged, the migrant, the marginalised, the people at the bottom of the heap.”

“Happily, that is not the Jewish community in Britain today. He would have had massive empathy with the Jewish community in Britain in the 1930s and he would have been there at Cable Street, there's no question. But, of course, the Jewish community today is relatively prosperous."

Under Mr Corbyn’s leadership the party was dogged with allegations that it had failed to take action against anti-Semitism by its members.

Mr Murray, a Unite trade unionist, defended Mr Corbyn’s position as he said: “They would say, 'Of course, Jewish migrants to Britain in the first half of the 20th century — they lived in appalling conditions. They had it rough, they were attacked by the fascists. But, you know, that was then.”

He added that the “Jewish community's moved on” and that it had now “developed, it's integrated”.

Euan Philipps, spokesman for Labour Against Antisemitism, said Mr Murray’s comments “highlight further the institutional nature of anti-Jewish racism in the Labour Party”, as he called for him to be investigated.

“Mr Murray’s use of a familiar anti-Jewish trope that portrays Jews as wealthy, to defend Mr Corbyn, is in our opinion antisemitic under the IHRA definition,” he said.

“He should be placed under immediate suspension pending a full investigation of his remarks, along with an investigation into his 2009 comments regarding the Trade Union Friends of Israel, which were also allegedly antisemitic.”

Mr  Philipps added that Labour could not be deemed “safe” for Jewish members so long as Mr Murray and Mr Corbyn remained in the Party.

“Their continued presence is a serious obstacle to Keir Starmer’s desire to move on from the party’s antisemitism crisis, which is why he must move quickly and act decisively,” he said.