Corbyn will have to upset old friends to his left if he is to become prime minister

For Jeremy Corbyn, sorry seems to be the hardest word. Last weekend, amid allegations of antisemitism against Labour, a statement was drafted in which he would say “sorry” for complaining about the removal of an antisemitic mural in 2012. But senior aides, judging that the row would soon blow over, toned it down to saying he sincerely regretted not looking at the image more closely.

Such nuances matter. The statement, and another saying Corbyn was sorry for the pain caused by “pockets” of antisemitism in the party, was not enough for Jewish groups. By the time Corbyn issued a third statement on Monday, finally saying “sorry” for his actions over the mural, it was too late. The groups were just about to start a demonstration outside Parliament. I’ve seen a lot of those over the years, usually against the government of the day. Corbyn was often amongst the protestors. But I can’t remember one directed at the Leader of the Opposition.

I’m sure Corbyn doesn’t have a racist bone in his body. But I suspect he has handled this issue badly because he does not want to upset people to his left. It goes against the grain for him to consider expelling people from Labour. I recall him campaigning against the expulsion of the Trotskyist Militant Tendency more than 30 years ago. Corbyn was convenor of Labour Against the Witch Hunt, which joined a counter-demonstration against the Jewish groups on Monday. As Tony Benn, Corbyn’s guiding star, once put it: “There must be no registration of socialism.”

So it’s no surprise that under Corbyn, Labour is open to all. His election as leader has been a magnet for people to his left to join or rejoin the party. But the passionate views of some of them about Palestine sometimes spill over into unacceptable statements about Jews. As the Jewish groups told Corbyn in a letter: “At best, this derives from the far Left’s obsessive hatred of Zionism, Zionists and Israel. At worst, it suggests a conspiratorial world-view in which mainstream Jewish communities are believed to be a hostile entity, a class enemy.”

Naturally, Corbyn’s allies cry “smear” and blame the row on “Tories and Blairites.” Sometimes that is right, but not this time. The fact that some Corbynsceptic Labour MPs are criticising him does not mean there is no problem. It is a serious one because it sends a terrible signal to the world outside Labour.

Corbyn doesn’t have to sell his soul to address it. John McDonnell, his closest political ally, has shown a much surer touch in handling sensitive issues. After the Salisbury attack, the shadow Chancellor said on TV that he agreed with Theresa May that Russia was responsible. (Corbyn is getting there, but slowly). McDonnell also suggested Labour MPs boycott RT, the state propagandist Russian channel. Unusually, after both statements McDonnell was contradicted by Corbyn’s office. It’s no coincidence that McDonnell wanted quicker action when Ken Livingstone was accused of making antisemitic remarks. Or that Rebecca Long-Bailey, a shadow cabinet protégé of McDonnell, took a very strong line on tackling the problem this week.

I’m not saying that there’s a Blair versus Brown-style split between Corbyn and McDonnell. But Corbyn could take a leaf out of his friend’s book. McDonnell appears better prepared for media interviews, and realises that Labour needs to win over people who didn’t vote for it last year. Corbyn prefers to busk it, and has a stubborn streak. I can’t imagine him saying “I agree with Theresa” even if she renationalised the railways.

The Labour leader will occasionally have to upset old friends to his left if he is to become prime minister. With at least 74 claims of anti-Semitism by Labour figures unresolved, Corbyn needs speed up the painfully slow disciplinary process and stop kicking tricky cases like that of his friend Livingstone into the long grass. The former London Mayor has been suspended for almost two years after claiming that Hitler supported Zionism in the early 1930s.

Labour insiders say the party’s disputes panel meets only every three months. Another problem is that members suspended or expelled by Labour continue to play an active role in the party through Momentum, Corbyn’s grassroots fan club, making nonsense of Labour’s disciplinary process.

Jennie Formby, the party’s new general secretary, should be the new broom who sweeps out those found guilty of antisemitic actions after due process. There are welcome, if belated, signs that this will now happen. Corbyn needs to match his pledge to be “a militant opponent of antisemitism” with the action lacking since Shami Chakrabarti’s 2016 inquiry.

It will be painful for Corbyn to expel people on the left. But looking the other way is no longer tenable for a party which aspires to run the country.