Jewish Labour delegates offered BODYGUARDS as anti-semitism row rages
JEWISH delegates will be given security guards at next month’s Labour Party conference as the anti-semitism row rages on.
Jeremy Corbyn: British Zionists don't understand English irony
Security will be offered to Jewish Labour MPs who have been targeted by anti-Semitic abuse at the Liverpool conference and Express.co.uk understands Jewish members of Jeremy Corbyn's party have sought out security advice.
The Jewish Labour Movement is said to have held talks with the Community Security Trust (CST) - a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism and threats - about providing minders at the conference.
A source told the Mail On Sunday: “This conference will be particularly tense as much of the worst anti-Semitic trolling on the internet has been traced back to hotspots in Merseyside.
“The CST are reporting back with a full assessment of the security requirements.
“There is a real concern about safety.”
A CST spokesman told Express.co.uk: “CST has advised many MPs on a range of security matters and this will no doubt continue as required over the Party Conference season.”
At last year’s Labour Party conference, BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg was given her own security team.
She was targeted with sexist abuse in the run-up to the Brighton conference.
If Corbyn had said “Asians” or “Blacks” instead of “Zionists” he’d be gone by now
Meanwhile, Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger joined critics condemning party leader Mr Corbyn over his claim that British “zionists “ “don’t understand English irony”.
Ms Berger tweeted: “The video released today of the leader of @UKLabour making inexcusable comments - defended by a party spokesman - makes me as a proud British Jew feel unwelcome in my own party.
“I’ve lived in Britain all my life and I don’t need any lessons in history/irony.”
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell claimed Mr Corbyn’s comments, made in 2013, have been taken out of context.
But the remarks led Conservatives to lodge a formal complaint with the Parliamentary standards’ watchdog.
They have asked if Mr Corbyn’s remarks breached the MPs’ code of conduct.
This weekend, Home Secretary Sajid Javid again indicated Mr Corbyn should resign as the anti-Semitism row continues to rip through the Labour Party.
Mr Javid tweeted: “If Corbyn had said “Asians” or “Blacks” instead of “Zionists” he’d be gone by now.
“The fact he’s still there, tells us all we need to know about what the Labour Party has become.”
Mr Javid tweeted a similar comment shortly after photographs re-emerged of Mr Corbyn's trip to a Tunis cemetery.
When asked to comment on this weekend's Mail On Sunday article, a Labour Party spokesman said: “The Labour Party is committed to tackling antisemitism both in the party and in wider society and the party is committed to the security and wellbeing of all Jewish people."
The Jewish Labour Movement has been contacted for comment.