Jeremy Corbyn has urged Labour supporters to “engage” with a new website aimed at educating members to tackle the “poison” of anti-Semitism in the party.
The Labour leader admitted there was “clear enough” evidence that the party has an issue with anti-Jewish bigotry in a letter to all members and supporters.
He encouraged them to visit a page on Labour’s website aimed at helping them confront anti-Semitism “wherever it arises”.
It comes as Labour peers prepare to vote on a motion of no confidence in Corbyn, after the anti-Semitism row was reignited by a BBC Panorama documentary and the sacking of Diane Hayter as shadow Brexit minister for comparing his leadership to “the last days of Hitler”.
An extraordinary meeting of Labour peers has been called on Monday to discuss the move, with a vote likely to follow on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Ahead of what could be another testing week, Corbyn claimed the anti-Semitism crisis had been “exaggerated” by political opponents and the media.
But he admitted: “We must face up to the unsettling truth that a small number of Labour members hold antisemitic views and a larger number don’t recognise anti-Semitic stereotypes and conspiracy theories.
“The evidence is clear enough. The worst cases of anti-Semitism in our party have included Holocaust denial, crude Jewish-banker stereotypes, conspiracy theories blaming Israel for 9/11 or every war on the Rothschild family, and even one member who appeared to believe that Hitler had been misunderstood.”
Corbyn said members must “educate ourselves and each other” to fight “oppression and discrimination”.
“That’s why we are launching education materials for our members and supporters to help them confront bigotry, wherever it arises,” he said.
“Over the coming months, the party will produce educational materials on a number of specific forms of racism and bigotry.
“Our first materials are on antisemitism, recognising that anti-Jewish bigotry has reared its head in our movement.
“Hatred towards Jewish people is rising in many parts of the world. Our party is not immune from that poison – and we must drive it out from our movement.”
It came as Shadow Justice Secretary Richard Burgon defended Ali Milani, the Labour candidate challenging Boris Johnson in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency, for “disgraceful” tweets he wrote as a teenager.
Speaking on Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Burgon said Milani has apologised for tweets about Jewish people.
Burgon said: “Quite rightly he has apologised for those tweets, and those tweets that are disgraceful he did when he was a teenager.
“He has been on a programme of learning since then and, in fact, went to Auschwitz to learn more about where prejudice comes from and where prejudice against the Jewish community can lead.”
He added: “I’m sure there are plenty of things Boris Johnson did as a teenager which if you applied that rule would rule him out from being prime minister.
“In fact, there is plenty of things that Boris Johnson has said and written more recently, including whilst he was an MP, including whilst he was mayor of London, including whilst he was in the running to become prime minister, which actually render him unacceptable and unsuitable to become prime minister.”