Conservative Party chairman: Jews will leave UK if Corbyn wins election
Since becoming head of Labour in 2015, Corbyn and his party have become embroiled on a number of occasions in allegations of antisemitism masked as anti-Israel behavior.
By ALEX WINSTONBritain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn reacts at a launch event for the Labour party's general election campaign in London, Britain October 31, 2019. (photo credit: REUTERS/HENRY NICHOLLS)
There are Jewish families who intend to emigrate from the United Kingdom if controversial Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn wins the December 12 general election, Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly said in an interview.Speaking with British newspaper The Sunday Telegraph, Cleverly, who has only held the post for a matter of months, said that "a number of my Jewish friends told me that if this man [Corbyn] gets in to government, they will get out of here and go and live with their families in other countries."Cleverly added that no group in the UK should live in such an atmosphere of fear.The parliamentarian's comments come a week after a rabbi in Maidenhead wrote to his community in a letter that, "Jewish life as we know it” would be in danger if Corbyn wins.Since becoming head of Labour in 2015, Corbyn and his party have become embroiled on a number of occasions in allegations of antisemitism masked as anti-Israel behavior. Several Jewish MPs have left the party due to the rife climate of antisemitism; the BBC aired a detailed expose on the party titled "Is Labour Anti-Semitic?"Former Labour MP John Mann resigned from the party in September, accusing Corbyn of "normalizing" antisemitism within the party.Corbyn has come under fire from personal scandals, having infamously said he considered Hezbollah and Hamas to be his friends and having signed a document accusing Israel of waging a campaign of genocide against the Palestinians.Cleverly also warned on Friday that voting for the rival Brexit Party could prevent Britain from leaving the EU and could put Corbyn into power. The Euro-skeptic, led by former UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage, could take votes away from Boris Johnson's Conservative Party, allowing Corbyn to make gains."A vote for Farage risks letting Jeremy Corbyn into Downing Street via the back door," Cleverly said in a statement.US President Donald Trump also gave his opinion on the upcoming election last week. When interviewed by British LBC radio, the president said, "Corbyn would be so bad for your country. He'd be so bad, he'd take you in such a bad way. He'd take you into such bad places."
Latest polls in the UK suggest that for the time being, the Conservatives have a lead of between 8-17 percentage points.Reuters and Aaron Reich contributed to this story.
