In an interview this week, Diane Abbott – responding to the Chief Rabbi’s comments – said:

“My response to him is we’re in Tottenham. Historically a strongly Jewish area. I represent Hackney – again, historically a strongly Jewish area and I’ve not found people anxious and frightened”

Guido suggests Diane hasn’t listened very carefully, as not only do 80% of British Jews fear a Corbyn premiership, Diane’s own local Labour branch has a less than glowing record on antisemitism.

In April, Rabbi Pinter said he was “shocked” by “Diane’s failure to intervene over a motion in her Hackney North Constituency Labour Party (CLP) dismissing claims that Labour was “institutionally antisemitic”. Ms Abbott sat silent throughout the debate as Jewish members cried.” The JC reported that “Rabbi Pinter said he “no longer feels welcome” at CLP meetings and that “the atmosphere is absolutely toxic these days”.” That’s at least one Jew in Hackney who is anxious and frightened, Diane…

The motion in question referred to “[rejected] accusations of institutional racism” within Labour, noting “with increasing alarm the acceptance of the ‘fact’ that the Labour Party is ‘institutionally anti-semitic’ by not only the media, but the right wing of the parliamentary Labour Party.”

Guido also reckons the Jewish community in Tottenham and Hackney won’t have their anxiety and fright alleviated when seeing these Whatsapp messages from Diane’s local Labour branch group chat, which include the accusation that “the Jews were active” in the Trans-Atlantic slave trade when watching Corbyn defend Antisemitism allegations from Andrew Neil.

Another Hackney member questioned why Corbyn has to keep apologising for Antisemitism. The mind boggles…