Don’t Menshn Jeremy Corbyn

Thus far, the Labour leadership contest has been mostly about the serious stuff: policies, electability, engagement, principles, hope, vision, and yes, leadership. What we haven’t yet encountered is a rank comedy turn, however inadvertent. Well, all that has changed today as someone has decided to wade into the contest without bothering to check facts, or even consider whether their intervention will do their cause any favours.

(c) Doc Hackenbush 2014

Yes, appearing uninvited over the horizon, screaming and ranting, but doing it extremely stylishly, has come (thankfully) former Tory MP Louise Mensch to tell the world that she knows all about Jeremy Corbyn, and that he is A Very Bad Person Indeed. As so often, she has decided on her conclusion, and is now selecting evidence to fit that conclusion. This is a process she likes to call “investigative journalism”. No, don’t laugh.

So what has Jezza done to offend Ms Mensch? Get ready: “Antisemitism #Corbyn responds by refusing to answer questions from the Jewish Chronicle & sharing platform with more antisemites this month”. He didn’t refuse to respond - see the JC article HERE. But do go on: “I don't hesitate in saying those are antisemitic acts. The Labour movement is about to elect a supporter of antisemitism”. Potentially actionable, but hey ho.

There’s more: “If Jeremy Corbyn will not disavow these antisemites, and continues to support them he too is an antisemite … I expect and hope the Parliamentary Labour Party will act if it has to. Worse is the deep vein of anti-Jew racism revealed in its base”. A word in your shell-like, Ms M. When your heroine Mrs T made pals with Augusto Pinochet, it did not make her a torturer or mass murderer by association.

Sure, many had misgivings about the company she was keeping, but that’s not the same thing. Try again: “Jeremy Corbyn supports racists and antisemites. All that is required for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing”. No he doesn’t. Next. “If ‘never again’ is more than a platitude to you, stand up now and say something. #Corbyn4Leader condones, supports antisemitism”. He still doesn’t. But do go on.

“I didn't know of Corbyn's support for antisemites until @JakeWSimons reported”. That would be the smear I debunked HERE. “Carlos Latuff. antisemitic cartoonist. #Corbyn4Leader to share a platform with him this month at a Wahabbist rally. Yes that's antisemitic”. Middle East Monitor may be all sorts, but it’s not a Wahabi organisation.

How about dragging someone else into the argument? “Where the hell are you on Jeremy Corbyn's racist acts of supporting antisemites, @owenjones84? Your silence sickening”. Owen Jones is sensibly ignoring Ms Mensch’s ranting. “And any Conservative that joins Labour to support an antisemite backer as their leader should be expelled from our party”. They’re ignoring her too. Plus there is a teensy problem with this attack line.

The JC has said of Corbyn that “there is no direct evidence that he has an issue himself with Jews”. The CST, which has also passed severely adverse comment on him, conceded “The problem is not that Corbyn is an antisemite or a Holocaust denier - he is neither”. There’s only one person peddling this drivel, and that person is Louise Mensch.

And she won’t apologise for it, because she isn’t big enough. No change there, then.