Lib Dem candidate: Sadiq Khan props up party that failed to ‘drive out’ Jew-hate

Lib Dem mayoral candidate Siobhan Benita has accused her rival Sadiq Khan of propping up a party “that has failed to drive out antisemitism.”

Speaking at the party conference in Bournemouth, she said: “Sadiq Khan has announced that he will stand again. But what exactly does he stand for?

“He has failed to tackle knife crime, he has failed to clean London’s toxic air.  And, unlike Chuka [Umunna] and Luciana [Berger], he continues to prop up a Brexit-facilitating, deeply divided Labour party, that has failed to drive out antisemitism.

“It’s no surprise, therefore, that recent polling shows he has negative satisfaction ratings.”

A spokesperson for the London Mayor responded to Benita’s remarks, saying: “Sadiq has championed – and embodied – London’s values: whether loudly calling out antisemitism within the Labour Party, standing up for our tolerance and diversity, campaigning relentlessly against Brexit, or being a global figurehead in the fight against the rise of far-right populism.

“He will keep leading the fight for London’s openness, tolerance, diversity and internationalism.”

Khan joined the Jewish Labour Movement earlier this year as an affiliate member, urging party colleagues to do the same. “I know it’s been an extremely difficult time for members of the Jewish Labour Movement,” he said at the time.

“That’s why it’s so important that we come together across the Labour movement to do whatever we can to make Jewish people feel at home in our party once again.”