Advertisement
UK markets close in 6 hours 30 minutes
  • FTSE 100

    7,970.25
    +38.27 (+0.48%)
     
  • FTSE 250

    19,825.97
    +15.31 (+0.08%)
     
  • AIM

    741.80
    -0.31 (-0.04%)
     
  • GBP/EUR

    1.1685
    +0.0016 (+0.14%)
     
  • GBP/USD

    1.2593
    -0.0045 (-0.36%)
     
  • Bitcoin GBP

    56,017.00
    +409.95 (+0.74%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,248.49
    +44.91 (+0.86%)
     
  • DOW

    39,760.08
    +477.75 (+1.22%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    81.86
    +0.51 (+0.63%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,218.00
    +5.30 (+0.24%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    40,168.07
    -594.66 (-1.46%)
     
  • HANG SENG

    16,541.42
    +148.58 (+0.91%)
     
  • DAX

    18,501.46
    +24.37 (+0.13%)
     
  • CAC 40

    8,250.75
    +45.94 (+0.56%)
     

Anti-Semitism Row 'Damaging' Labour Campaign

Sadiq Khan has admitted the row over anti-Semitism in the Labour Party has damaged his chances of being elected London Mayor.

He said Ken Livingstone's controversial comments linking Hitler and Zionism had made it "more difficult" for Jewish voters to back him in Thursday's election.

The former minister also said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had acted too slowly to tackle concerns about racist views in the ranks.

Mr Khan told The Observer: "I accept that the comments that Ken Livingstone has made make it more difficult for Londoners of Jewish faith to feel that the Labour Party is a place for them, and so I will carry on doing what I have always been doing, which is to speak for everyone.

ADVERTISEMENT

"There are too many examples in our party of people having these views, and action does not appear to have been taken quickly enough."

He added that the upper echelons of the party needed training "as clearly they don't understand what racism is, and there is no hierarchy when it comes to racism".

:: Livingstone Won't Say Sorry For Hitler Comment

Mr Khan's comments come as voters prepare to go to the polls for local elections in England, and government elections in Scotland and Wales.

Shadow cabinet minister Jon Ashworth told Sky News the anti-Semitism row had been unhelpful for those campaigning on the doorstep.

"The past few days have been very depressing for Labour activists who want to see us winning next week," he said.

"People touring TV studios going on and on and on about this hasn't been helpful.

"I hope Ken, who has been doing that, now pipes down a bit."

Appearing on LBC radio yesterday, Mr Livingstone refused to apologise for his claim that Adolf Hitler had supported Zionism, but he did say he regretted inflaming a row about alleged anti-Semitism within Labour.

:: Livingstone Condemned By Top Israeli Politician

Mr Livingstone, who has been suspended from Labour along with MP Naz Shah, said he was confident of being able to return to the party ranks following an investigation.

He said he'd had "quite a lot of texts and tweets from Jewish people saying, 'we would like to come along and support you at this inquiry'".

But in a letter to Mr Corbyn, Israeli Labour Party leader Isaac Herzog said he was "appalled and outraged by the recent examples of anti-Semitism by senior Labour Party officials in the United Kingdom".

:: Ken 'Can't Remember' Why He Made Hitler Remark

Joining the annual May Day rally in London, Mr Corbyn reiterated that he and his party "stand absolutely against racism in any form" - but the row appears to have affected voter confidence in Labour.

A poll carried out amid the controversy gave the Conservatives an eight-point lead, and experts tip Labour to lose up to 150 council seats in England and face a hard night in Scotland and Wales.

The survey, by Opinium for The Observer, showed Labour on 30% to the Conservatives' 38% - with UKIP on 15% and the Liberal Democrats, SNP and Greens all on 5%.

It was based on 2,005 online interviews with UK adults from 26-29 April.

The 12 London mayoral candidates are: Sian Berry (Green Party); David Furness (BNP), George Galloway (Respect Party), Paul Golding (Britain First), Zac Goldsmith (Conservatives), Lee Harris (Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol), Sadiq Khan (Labour), Ankit Love (One Love Party), Caroline Pidgeon (Liberal Democrats), Sophie Walker (Women's Equality Party), Peter Whittle (UKIP), Prince Zylinski (Independent).