Jeremy Corbyn takes legal action over 'disgusting' Nigel Farage GB News comment

04 March 2024 , 17:46

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The former Labour leader has instructed lawyers to begin the 'first steps in legal proceedings' (Image: PA)

Jeremy Corbyn is taking legal action against Nigel Farage over a “disgusting” and “defamatory” statement about him on GB News last week.

The former Labour leader has instructed lawyers to begin the "first steps in legal proceedings" against the ex-UKIP leader. Mr Farage accused Mr Corbyn of subscribing to an antisemitic conspiracy theory on his TV show.

On his show last Wednesday, Mr Farage said: “I was never a subscriber to the madcap conspiracy theory that the Jews run the world. But I’ll tell you who was. Yes, Jeremy Corbyn.”

Mr Corbyn said on Monday: "I have asked my lawyers to take the first steps in commencing legal proceedings against Nigel Farage, following a highly defamatory statement about me. We are a movement for peace — and we cannot stand by and let these disgusting and malicious lies go unchallenged."

Nigel Farage accused Jeremy Corbyn of subscribing to an antisemitic conspiracy theory on his TV show

The MP for Islington North continued: "Our demonstrations for a ceasefire are made up of people of all ages, faiths and backgrounds, united in a desire to end human suffering. We continue to march because people continue to die - and we will not allow others to cynically and deliberately distort our calls for peace."

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In March last year, Mr Corbyn was formally blocked from standing as a candidate for Labour at the next general election. Labour's governing body - the National Executive Body - today approved a motion proposed by Keir Starmer not to endorse his predecessor by 22 votes to 12.

At the general election, Mr Corbyn, who has had the whip suspended since 2020, will be unable to stand for Labour in the constituency of Islington North for the first time since 1983. At the time, Mr Corbyn said: “I will not be intimidated into silence. I have spent my life fighting for a fairer society on behalf of the people of Islington North, and I have no intention of stopping now.”

He was first suspended from the party over an antisemitism row, in which he said a report "dramatically overstated" the scale of the issue within Labour.

Sophie Huskisson