Local elections 2016: Ken Livingstone anti-Semitism storm hurt our vote, say Labour leaders

Ken Livingstone was suspended from the Labour party over remarks he made about Hitler
Anthony Devlin/PA
Joseph Watts6 May 2016
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Labour leaders across the country today blamed Ken Livingstone and the anti-Semitism row for damaging their party’s election hopes.

Key Corbyn ally and shadow chancellor John McDonnell said it had “set us back”, while Labour’s leader in Scotland, where the party sank to third, said it “unquestionably” hit results.

Backbench MP John Mann claimed the storm had cost Labour Jewish votes, but Mr Livingstone maintained it was “nonsense” whipped up by Blairites to undermine Jeremy Corbyn.

The former London Mayor, now suspended from Labour, faces a hearing and potential further action over his claim that “Hitler was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews”.

Asked about the impact of those comments on results, Mr McDonnell admitted the fallout had damaged Labour.

He said: “I regret it happened, I made it very, very clear very early on that Ken Livingstone was wrong. He should have apologised and it has set us back, there’s no doubt about that.”

Poll verdict: Ken Livingstone has been criticised by John McDonnell

However, the shadow chancellor said Mr Corbyn had dealt with cases of alleged anti-Semitism promptly, adding: “I think at the end of it we’ll be stronger.”

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale said the furore had “unquestionably had an effect” on the Holyrood elections, which left Labour languishing as the third biggest party, behind the Tories.

The strongest attack came from Mr Mann, who was seen haranguing Mr Livingstone on live TV at the height of the row. The MP for Bassetlaw said last night that the Scottish result was “cata-clysmic” for Labour.

He told the BBC: “It is clear that the Jewish vote, which for generations in families has been Labour, has gone against Labour tonight.

"We have seen that in Bury, we have seen it in Glasgow, I think we will see it tomorrow in parts of London.

“This is a huge challenge, it’s going to define Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership. He has to lead from the front and get on top of this problem.”

After the Standard told how Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mir-vis was unable to vote due to an error by election authorities in Barnet, there were reports that Jewish voters queued at polling stations in the borough late in the evening to have their say.

The anti-Semitism row continued as counting got under way today for the elections for the London Mayor and Assembly.

Mr Livingstone admitted it had “undoubtedly” hit Labour’s election hopes, but he added: “If you go back before the Blairites started whipping up all the anti-Semitism stuff, Labour was about five points ahead in the polls.

"So far what seems to be coming through is a lead of about two points. Sadiq was about 16 per cent ahead in the polls before all this anti-Semitism nonsense.”

He said the row had been part of a plan to strip him of his seat on Labour’s National Executive Committee ahead of elections to the body.

Mr Livingstone claimed that would make it easier for Mr Corbyn’s opponents to overturn the leader’s plans to reform Labour’s Trident policy.

Asked why Mr McDonnell had said he should apologise for his Hitler comments, the former Mayor said: “I don’t know. I can’t see how anyone apologises for stating a truth.

“No one is going to demand I apologise if I say the Normans invaded Britain in 1066. It’s not going to offend the French.”

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