Labour MPs round on Jeremy Corbyn over anti-Semitism in the party as they share stories of abuse

They called for the Labour leader to expel Ken Livingstone and get a grip on the crisis
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Labour MPs have rounded on Jeremy Corbyn for failing to better tackle anti-Semitism in the party as they shared their personal stories of abuse.

Among those to take aim at Mr Corbyn was John Mann, Labour MP for Bassetlaw, who said his wife had been threatened with rape by a "leftist anti-Semite".

He also said he had been targeted by members of the Corbyn-supporting campaign group Momentum for showing solidarity with Jewish Labour members.

In astonishing scenes on Tuesday, others called for former London mayor Ken Livingstone to be expelled from the party for saying that Hitler had supported Zionism.

Labour's Luciana Berger during her speech in the Commons, which was applauded by MPs from all sides after she spoke of the anti-Semitic abuse she had faced
PA

Liverpool MP Luciana Berger said Labour must expel those with "corrosive" anti-Semitic views and criticised people who attacked her for speaking out on the issue.

A standing ovation followed Ruth Smeeth's speech, in which the Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent North read a sample of the abuse aimed at her.

She added: "Enough really is enough."

Former Labour minister Dame Margaret Hodge was applauded after a speech in which she said it felt as if her party has "given permission for anti-Semitism to go unchallenged".

She added: "Anti-Semitism is making me an outsider in my Labour Party. To that, I simply say enough is enough.”

Mr Corbyn was in the Commons for large parts of the debate, with Communities Secretary Sajid Javid accusing the Labour leader of a "deeply worrying lack of leadership and moral clarity" on anti-Semitism.

Shadow communities secretary Andrew Gwynne said "much more work needs to be done" on anti-Semitism, adding: "No political party has the monopoly on vice or virtue but we will put our house in order."

Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott later said "one anti-Semite in the Labour Party is one too many", also saying "nothing is gained" by accusing Mr Corbyn of being an anti-Semite.

She said the party was "serious" about fighting racism and anti-Semitism although acknowledged it had been "too slow" in dealing with some complaints - with measures being taken to address it.

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