Labour peers have accused Jeremy Corbyn of having “failed the test of leadership” over the handling of anti-Semitism within the party.
More than sixty peers took out a full-page newspaper advertisement in which they blasted the party's “toxic culture” under its current leader.
In an advert in Wednesday’s Guardian, the peers addressed Mr Corbyn directly.
They said: “You have failed to defend our party’s anti-racist values. You have therefore failed the test of leadership.”
It comes amid a backlash within the party about the leadership’s response to fresh claims made about anti-Semitism in Labour.
Eight former staff members accused the party of failing to tackle complaints about anti-Semitism properly.
In a BBC Panorama documentary that aired last week, they said Mr Corbyn’s office was allowed to be involved in disputes.
In statement it said the claims were made by “disaffected former officials including those who have always opposed Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, worked to actively undermine it, and have both personal and political axes to grind”.
The Guardian advert was signed by 64 Labour peers, including more than a dozen former ministers.
It continued: “The Labour party welcomes everyone* irrespective of race, creed, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation. (*except, it seems, Jews).
”This is your legacy, Mr Corbyn.”
The signatories told Mr Corbyn the party was “no longer a safe place for all members”
And they claimed thousands have resigned their membership “because of the toxic culture you [Mr Corbyn] have allowed to divide our movement”.
