LONDON: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned racism and anti-Semitism by stating that they were evil in all forms and pledged that under his government racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia will have no place.
The Labour leader was speaking at the unveiling of a specific race and faith manifesto, featuring policies including a new body to oversee the legacy of colonialism, a race equality unit at the Treasury and reduced charges for Home Office documents and tests.
Dawn Butler, the shadow equalities secretary, Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, Afzal Khan MP, Tan Dhesi MP, Stephen Timms MP and leading figures from the Muslim, Sikh, Hindu and Black communities joined Jeremy Corbyn at the launch event.
After being criticized in right-wing media repeatedly over accusations of anti-Semitism within the Labour Party, the party leader strongly condemned anti-Semitism and said: “Anti Semitism is evil and it has no place in our society. There is no place for racism and anti-Semitism in any shape whatsoever in modern Britain and under a modern labour government it will not be tolerated in whatsoever manner. I want to make that clear. In the labour party, we have an effective system for dealing with it and that process is under constant review. There is an education process in our party to understand what led to Holocaust and what happened, what the level of racism at that time was and how far-right were able to exploit that.”
Jeremy Corbyn said that in his government, anti-Semitism will never be allowed. He said those Labour members who were accused of anti-Semitism were held accountable.
“Some were suspended, some thrown out and some were asked to get themselves educated He asked the Chief Rabbi and Archbishop of Canterbury to engage with the Labour Party and help it resolve issues.”
He regretted that Tory Party was not dealing with Islamophobia and racism within its ranks. He called on Prime Minister Johnson to deal with it on urgent basis. Corbyn said that Indians, Pakistanis and other ethnic minorities face prejudge in daily life and he will ensure that their discrimination ends.
Election next month is a battle for our heart and soul: Tara Dhesi
Britain’s first turban wearing Sikh MP appreciated Jeremy Corbyn for standing up with Sikhs after the Indian government stormed the Golden Temple, the most scared Sikh religious site. He said Corbyn stood by Sikhs and other minorities and spoke for them.
“No other leader in Europe has that kind of record of standing against all forms of racism,” he said.
He said PM Boris Johnson is a racist, Islamophobe and sexist who has put lives in danger through his dangerous remarks and views.
“We have a charlatan Prime Minister. Johnson through his own remarks has thrown minority communities under the bus on umpteen occasions. There is a long list of Boris Johnson making sexist, racist and homophobic remarks which have led to hate crimes against ethnic minorities. There has been no independent inquiry in Islamophohbia in Tory party despite the fact I challenged him in parliament. Our Labour Party has proud history of fighting for minority communities. When Sikhs were attacked and our scared shrine was attacked, Corybyn stood up for us.”
He accused the Tory party of not tendering apology to Sikhs on the then Tory government’s role in the massacre of Sikhs.
Diane Abbot said that when she entered the parliament as an AMP, the security guards used to stop her because they didn’t think that a black person could be in parliament. She said Labour Party changed that by giving representation to black and minority ethnic communities.
