Ex Plaid Cymru leader deletes tweet stating Corbyn critics exploit antisemitism

A leading Welsh politician has deleted a retweet calling the decision to deny Jeremy Corbyn the Labour whip a “flagrant, repellent and cynical exploitation of antisemitism”.

Leanne Wood, who led Welsh nationalist party Plaid Cymru from 2012 to 2018, retracted her endorsement of two posts by journalist Glenn Greenwald this week.

This comes after the Equality and Human Rights Commission published a report into Labour antisemitism, which found it had broken equality law.  Former leader Jeremy Corbyn was suspended for his reaction to the report, before being reinstated last week, but the parliamentary whip was not restored by his successor, Keir Starmer.

Wood shared his tweet from 22 November which said: “I’ve never seen a more flagrant, repellent and cynical exploitation of antisemitism in my life than its disgusting use to smear Corbyn because of a lack of alternatives for how to defeat him. Nothing has trivialised this cause more than what British Blairites have done.”

She also retweeted his tweet from 18 November which said: “Everyone now knows that Labour centrists did everything possible to sabotage Corbyn, preferring that May or Boris win than they win with Corbyn. Now this. Why would any leftist keep supporting Labour under Starmer? What else do they have to do to show they hate you?”

Plaid Cymru said the retweets had been removed, and a spokesperson commented: “The findings if the Equality and Human Rights Commission are fully supported by Plaid Cymru. Leanne Wood has taken the right course of action. We now consider the matter closed”.

Last month, the Board of Deputies criticised Plaid for its “deplorable and deeply regrettable” decision not to expel an activist, Sahar al-Faifi, accused of antisemitism.

Following the row Plaid’s former leader Lord Dafydd Wigley said the party “cannot tolerate” antisemitism, while its current leader Adam Price committed to running antisemitism training for all prospective candidates.

Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board of Deputies, said: “This is not the first time Ms Wood has tried to clumsily weigh in on issues surrounding antisemitism.

“Her latest attempt is particularly ill timed, given the internal review currently being conducted by Plaid after their recent decision to let off a member – for a second time – who had made antisemitic statements.

“This will hardly fill British Jews with confidence in the Party’s willingness to change.”