Yahoo News Ken Livingstone in fresh row as he claims Nazi policy had 'effect of supporting Zionism'
Ken Livingstone has defended himself against accusations of anti-Semitism by claiming a Nazi policy "had the effect of supporting" Zionism.
Jeremy Corbyn suspended the former Labour MP last year after he invoked Hitler to defend a colleague over anti-Semitic remarks and claimed that there was a “well-orchestrated campaign” against the party by the “Israel lobby”.
Mr Livingstone said Hitler had supported the establishment of a Jewish state in 1932 "before he went mad and murdered six million Jews."
Press release on my appearance before the National Constitutional Committee/ further details of my defence
Please RThttps://t.co/TdgPBjSxGX— Ken Livingstone (@ken4london) March 28, 2017
His comments led to a face-to-face confrontation with John Mann, a Labour MP, who told Mr Livingstone on live television that he was a "disgrace" and a "Nazi apologist".
Publishing his defence ahead of a disciplinary hearing this week, the former Mayor of London says Nazi policy “had the effect of supporting Zionism” and references the 1933 "Transfer Agreement".
He writes: "This agreement, between the Nazis and a section of Zionism, was not referred to in order to express hostility to Jewish people.
"The Transfer Agreement was a major political issue at the time as the Jewish movement to boycott German goods was a huge international campaign to turn public opinion against Nazi Germany.
"In my remarks to Vanessa Feltz, I was just pointing out that the Nazi policy in relation to the Transfer Agreement had the effect of supporting Zionism."
He adds: "I did not say or suggest that Hitler was a Zionist. I did not make the equation of Hitler and Zionism.
Anti-Semitism row - what ken livingstone said
"I neither criticised the Transfer Agreement or the section of Zionism that participated in the Agreement.
"I did not draw any historical parallels with the situation today anywhere, including with the conflict between Israel and Palestine.
"The holocaust against the Jews is the greatest racial crime of the 20th century."
