Jeremy Corbyn campaign criticised over official video showing supporters 'dismissing antisemitism claims'

Jeremy Corbyn faces renewed anger after his campaign published a video which critics claimed showed his supporters dismissing antisemitism accusations against Labour.

Despite complaints from the British Board of Deputies, which represents many UK Jews, the film was still available for viewing on Mr Corbyn’s Facebook page on Thursday.

It shows a series of activists reading the question ‘Do you promote antisemitism?’ from a piece of paper. One finishes by throwing it on the floor, saying: “so, that’s gone as well.”

Its publication online follows Labour’s antisemitism crisis over the summer, which saw Mr Corbyn forced to launch a review into the issue.

The video features supporters answering the five questions they get asked most, including on whether they are “a Trot” or if they have eaten croissants or hate Europe.

On the antisemitism question, one woman says: “Obviously there are people in society that are antisemitic and we should be doing everything to educate and eradicate those kind of things.

“I certainly wouldn't stand for antisemitism if I saw it anywhere, whether it was in the Labour Party or anywhere else."

It moves on to show another campaigner saying: "It was the Conservative government in the 1930s that stopped a large number of refugees from Austria and Germany, Jewish refugees, coming into Britain.

“It was the Conservative supporting press who were pushing the headlines at that time about Jewish refugees pouring into the country, taking your jobs, taking your homes."

A third supporter adds: "When you actually boil it all down, what they mean is 'we're losing the political argument and we've got nothing to fight back with other than these accusations'."

President of the Board Jonathan Arkush said the Labour Leader must now make clear publically if he agrees with the comments in the video that claims of antisemitism are simply a result of his detractors 'losing the political argument’.

He told The Independent: “I want to put over my bewilderment and deep concern at how Jeremy Corbyn’s own leadership campaign could possibly have thought this video appropriate given what has happened.

“It speaks volumes about the dismissive attitudes towards antisemitism in parts of the party.”

He added: “If people are so dismissive of racism in their own midst, how can they deserve the trust of their own members, let alone the electorate?”

A spokesman for Mr Corbyn told the Jewish Chronicle the video had been produced by his campaign team and not his official office.

Earlier this year Labour asked Shami Chakrabarti to explore if there was anti-Semitism in the party after numerous incidents, including those which led to the suspension of MP Naz Shah and ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone.

The Chakrabarti report said Labour was not overrun by antisemitism or other forms of racism, but that there was an "occasionally toxic atmosphere" and "too much clear evidence... of ignorant attitudes".

This week Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth told how she has received more than 25,000 incidents of abuse, much of it racial.

Ms Smeeth walked out of the launch of the Chakrabarti report after being challenged by an activist at the event.