Jeremy Corbyn is facing a revolt from senior Labour figures calling on him to apologise for the party’s response to an investigation into its antisemitism problem.

Around 200 people – including ex-aides to party leaders, special advisers and even a former member of its ruling national executive committee – accused the party of “smearing Jewish victims”.

They slammed Labour for “threatening” and “denigrating” a group of whistleblowers who told the BBC’s Panorama their attempts to root out antisemitism were undermined.

Some of the whistleblowers broke non-disclosure agreements with Labour – which the party has campaigned to scrap if it gets into power – to allege its general secretary and general secretary interfered with investigation.

One whistleblower, Labour’s former head of complaints, said it had pushed him to the brink of suicide.

The testimony has been strongly refuted by Labour.

A spokesperson said it came from “disaffected former officials” opposed to Mr Corbyn’s leadership who had “personal and political axes to grind”, casting doubt on their “credibility” as sources.

The response has sparked a furious backlash – including from two of the whistleblowers who claim it was defamatory, and notable Labour figures.

Those who signed the letter to Mr Corbyn published on Monday demanded he apologise for the “shameful communications strategy” which “is the creation of your office”.

“This crisis is ultimately your responsibility,” the group wrote.

“Despite your repeated assurances, Labour’s institutionalised antisemitism is worse than ever.”

It comes as Labour staffers who belong to the GMB union announced plans to force the branch to formally back the whistleblowers and condemn attempts to label them as “politically motivated”.

The plans are contained in a motion that on Thursday will be voted on, which an insider said was highly likely to pass.

Mr Corbyn has already faced pressure from his shadow foreign secretary not to target the whistleblowers.

“We shouldn’t be going for the messengers, we should be listening to the message,” Emily Thornberry said on Sunday.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Labour Party’s comprehensive rebuttal of the Panorama programme did not in any way criticise Jewish members who have suffered antisemitism.

“As we said after the programme aired, we will fully investigate any complaints alleging antisemitic incidents reported by Party members in interviews in the programme. We stand in solidarity with Jewish people, and we’re taking decisive action to root out antisemitism from our movement and society.

“Our response highlighted the Panorama team inventing a quote, editing emails and making no serious attempt to understand the Party’s procedures for dealing with antisemitism.

“This is an important issue in the public interest and it is essential that it be assessed in a balanced and impartial way. Instead, Panorama pre-determined the outcome of its investigation and misrepresented the evidence to present a biased and selective account.

“Our records show that antisemitism cases that have gone through the stages of our disciplinary procedures since September 2015 account for about 0.06% of the Party’s membership and since Jennie Formby became General Secretary the rate at which antisemitism cases have been dealt with has increased more than four-fold.

“A number of claims made in the Panorama programme by former staff members are inaccurate and some of the individuals have a clear record of political opposition or hostility to the Labour leadership.

“The Party was not informed by Panorama of the mental health issues experienced by former staff members.

“The Labour Party is committed to fulfilling our duty of care to our employees, and all employees of the Labour Party have access to an Employee Assistance Programme, which provides 24/7 confidential support to employees, including counselling. This service is widely advertised to employees throughout the organisation.”

Meanwhile, senior Labour peers have offered to investigate the allegations of antisemitism and warned Mr Corbyn that the “cancer” will “continue to grow” without full openness on the issue.

The Labour Peers Group has offered to set up a small panel to review the substance of allegations made in the Panorama documentary.

Shadow Lords leader Baroness Smith of Basildon, the group’s chairman Lord Harris of Haringey, shadow deputy leader of the Lords Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town, and shadow chief whip Lord McAvoy are among the signatories.

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