Dominic Raab attacks Labour over antisemitism, citing father who fled the Nazis

Tory leadership hopeful Dominic Raab has attacked Labour for failing to stamp out antisemitism.

The former Brexit secretary has released a video where he speaks about his father fleeing the Holocaust as a child and other family members being murdered by the Nazis.

Mr Raab said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and shadow chancellor John McDonnell’s “inaction” over antisemitism meant the Labour Party was a “stain on our country”.

In the video, he says: “In recent times, this once great party has become a stain on our country.

“I am talking about the inaction when a small minority of members and even their own MPs are caught saying terrible things that go beyond the bounds of tolerant debate.”

Outlining his family’s journey as refugees, Mr Raab said his father could not speak English when he arrived in the country aged six, but “grasped the opportunities and embraced the tolerance that our great country offers”.

His father “never forgot what happened to his family”, Mr Raab said, adding: “Most of his family had been systematically murdered for no other reason that they were Jews.”

He said the Labour leadership was not standing up for “free and tolerant democracy”.

“There are certain things that should stand above party political divides,” he said.

“I think if you look at the evidence, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell have shown they won’t stand up for that ideal.

“I believe all parties must preserve the free and tolerant democracy that I know from my own family’s experience we are lucky to have in this country.”