Labour's trust with Jewish community is 'severed' as Jeremy Corbyn under mounting pressure over anti-Semitism - latest news

Labour's trust with the Jewish community has been "severed', Tom Watson has said, as Jeremy Corbyn has been urged to address anti-Semitism in his conference speech.

The party has a "moral obligation" to rid itself of anti-Semitism, its deputy leader told the BBC's Radio 4 programme.

Mr Watson said he hopes the issues are resolved and that he is "never asked about anti-Semitism" in an interview again.

Last night a Holocaust survivor called on Mr Corbyn to use his closing speech at the Labour conference to demonstrate his leadership in tackling anti-Semitism.

Susan Pollack, who survived the Nazi camps at both Auschwitz and Bergen-Belsen, told a fringe event organised by the Holocaust Educational Trust that Mr Corbyn should say "unfounded" attacks against Israel are "not acceptable".

Her comments came as Mr Corbyn said he had done "everything I can" to tackle all forms of racism.

However, the Labour leader faces a fresh row after he was pictured with an activist who has called for Holocaust denial to be treated as free speech.

Mr Corbyn was condemned by Jewish groups over an image taken outside the party’s annual conference, which showed him standing next to Miko Peled, a controversial activist who last year said people should be free to ask “Holocaust: yes or no”.

Mr Peled, an Israeli-American, tweeted a picture of himself smiling with Mr Corbyn on Sunday, writing: “brilliant to see the courageous Jeremy Corbyn. Accessible, gracious and generous on the street with people.”

This comes just 12 months after Mr Peled was widely condemned by senior Labour figures, including Mr Watson, after comparing Israel to the Nazis at last year’s conference in Brighton.

Addressing activists at an event called “Free speech on Israel”, he reportedly said people should have “the freedom to criticise and to discuss every issue, whether it's the Holocaust: yes or no, Palestine, the liberation, the whole spectrum. There should be no limits on the discussion.”

A spokesman for Labour said that Mr Peled had not been given access to the conference, adding: “Jeremy has been stopped by hundreds of people in Liverpool over the last few days.”  

9:06AM

Shadow justice secretary: we must respect the outcome of the EU referendum

Senior figures in the Labour party continue to be divided over Brexit, as  Richard Burgon, the Shadow justice secretary, stressed: "The Labour Party isn't calling for a second referendum."

This comes a day after after Labour delegates voted to keep the option of a second referendum open, if there isn't a general election first. Yesterday Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit Secretary, appeared to go off-script when he told conference: "Nobody is ruling out Remain as an option".

Asked on LBC radio about Sir Keir leaving open the door to a second poll, Mr Burgon said: "Who knows where history is going to go?"

He said the party's policy remained that "we accept and respect the outcome of the referendum".

8:47AM

Labour MP calls for general strike

Last night Laura Smith, the Labour MP, received a standing ovation when she called for a general strike.

Speaking at a Momentum fringe event at the Labour party conference, Ms Smith, who is a member of the Unite and Unison unions, said: "Comrades, we must topple this cruel and callous Tory Government as soon as we can. And if we can't get a general election, we should organise with our brothers and sisters in the trade unions to bring an end to this government with a general strike."

Tom Watson said Ms Smith "got a little bit carried away" with her comments.

Labour's deputy leader told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "Well, it's not particularly helpful, but she is a new MP and she was at a big fringe event - nothing to do with the party organisation - and I'm sure she got a little bit carried away."

Rebecca Long-Bailey, the shadow business secretary, said: " to make it perfectly clear a general strike is not Labour Party policy.

"That's not our position. Laura is an absolutely amazing MP, she's one of the North West MPs with myself, she's so full of energy and enthusiasm, but we're certainly not advocating general strikes as Labour Party policy."

8:35AM

Day four at the Labour party's conference

Good morning. Day four at the Labour party's conference in Liverpool is about to start.

The main event on the agenda will be Jeremy Corbyn's speech.