Thursday, 2 May 2024

‘Jeremy Corbyn will side with any terrorist group’ – Anti-extremism expert speaks out

In 2009 Mr Corbyn, then a backbench MP, caused outrage by referring to his “friends” from Hamas and Hezbollah. Both groups are registered as terrorist groups by the UK and US governments. Ms Lenarz is the founder and executive director of the Human Security Centre, a foreign policy think tank.

Speaking to Express.co.uk she said: “If you look at Jeremy Corbyn’s foreign policy record you will find that basically he will side with whatever terrorist organisation, or whatever vile dictatorial regime, as long as they oppose whatever military action the West is taking. It’s inherently anti-Western.”

“He’s a British problem. If he became Prime Minister you can only imagine what this would do to our democracy at home and standing in the world.

“We have already seen the US say if he became Prime Minister they would seriously reconsider sharing with us critical intelligence because they don’t think he can be trusted.

“They think he’s a threat to national security and that’s also what we’ve heard from a roll of his own Labour MPs, or ex-Labour MPs.”

Mr Corbyn became Labour leader in September 2015, replacing Ed Miliband, following a shock election.

The 70-year-old was first elected as MP for Islington North in 1983, but has never served in Government.

Ms Lenarz argued a Government led by Mr Corbyn would cut Britain off from traditional allies.

She asserted: “The US-UK relationship is a critical relationship, some would say it’s the most important relationship that we have, and that’s regardless of whoever is President at the moment.

“It’s not just the US, it’s also for instance our allies in the Gulf who we cooperate with quite a bit on anti-extremism in the Muslim world.

“You’d have a Prime Minister who openly called Hamas and Hezbollah members his friends and at the same time we’re lecturing our Arab allies about the need to confront extremism.

“You can only imagine how that would be perceived.”

Mr Corbyn insists he only referred to Hamas and Hezbollah figures as “friends” in a bid to build dialogue, and has since expressed regret for using the term.

Speaking to the home affairs select committee in 2016 he said: “It was inclusive language I used which with hindsight I would rather not have used.

“I regret using those words of course”.

Since Mr Corbyn became Labour leader there have been accusations the party has become institutionally anti-Semitic.

The claim was repeated by former Jewish Labour MP Luciana Berger when she quit the party in February.

Last month the Equalities and Human Rights Commission launched a formal investigation into whether the Labour Party has engaged in unlawful anti-Semitic discrimination.

Ms Lenarz argued anti-Semitism on the extreme left has been understated.

She commented: “When we talk about anti-Semitism and racism many people automatically think about the far-right. And it is a real and potent threat.

“But it doesn’t mean that far-left extremism is any left dangerous.

“It is just as potent and dangerous as far-right extremism and Jeremy Corbyn is the best example.

“If you look at how many Jews would genuinely consider their future in the country if he became Prime Minister that is genuinely scary”.

A 2018 poll for the Jewish Chronicle newspaper found 39 percent of British Jews would “seriously consider emigrating” if Mr Corbyn becomes Prime Minister.

Mr Corbyn has repeatedly promised to “root out” anti-Semitism from the Labour Party.

In an article published by The Guardian in August 2018 he wrote: “Driving anti-Semitism out of the party for good, and rebuilding that trust, are our priorities.

“We are developing an education and training programme throughout the party.”

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