Political positions of Jeremy Corbyn

This article is part of
a series about
Jeremy Corbyn
Backbencher
Leader of the Opposition and Labour Party
Elections
Cultural depictions
Part of a series on
Socialism
Development
Ideas
Models
Variants
Intellectuals
Politicians
Organizations
Related topics
Lists
Part of a series on
Social democracy
History
Concepts
Variants
People
Organizations
By region
Related

This article summarises the views and voting record of Jeremy Corbyn, who was the Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom from 12 September 2015 until 4 April 2020. An independent, Corbyn was a member of the Labour Party from 1965 until his expulsion in 2024.

Positioning

[edit]

Corbyn self-identifies as a socialist.[1] He has also been referred to as a "mainstream [Scandinavian] social democrat".[2] He advocates reversing austerity cuts to public services and some welfare funding made since 2010, as well as renationalisation of public utilities and the railways.[3] A longstanding anti-war and anti-nuclear activist, he supports a foreign policy of military non-interventionism and unilateral nuclear disarmament.[4] Writer Ronan Bennett, who formerly worked as a research assistant to Corbyn, has described him as "a kind of vegan, pacifist idealist, one with a clear understanding of politics and history, and a commitment to the underdog".[5]

In 1997, the political scientists David Butler and Dennis Kavanagh described Corbyn's political stance as "far-left".[6] Corbyn has described Karl Marx as a "great economist"[7][8] and said he has read some of the works of Adam Smith, Marx and David Ricardo and has "looked at many, many others".[7] However, some have argued that Corbyn is less radical than previously described:[9] for example, the journalist George Eaton has called him "Keynesian".[10] In 2023, The Daily Telegraph reported that most of the tax policies in Corbyn's 2019 general election manifesto had been implemented by the winning Conservative government, including a higher corporation tax, a windfall tax on oil companies, a reduction in annual tax allowances on dividend income, raising income tax on high earners, and introducing a digital services tax on online retailers.[11]

Corbyn named John Smith as the former Labour leader whom he most admired, describing him as "a decent, nice, inclusive leader". He also said he was "very close and very good friends" with Michael Foot.[12]

Economy and taxation

[edit]

Corbyn has campaigned against private finance initiative schemes,[13] supported a higher rate of income tax for the wealthiest in society,[14] and his shadow chancellor proposed the introduction of a £10 per hour living wage.[15] He advocates recouping losses from tax avoidance and evasion by investing £1 billion in HM Revenue and Customs.[16] Corbyn sought to reduce an estimated £93 billion that companies receive in tax relief.[17][18][19] The amount is made up of several reliefs, including railway and energy subsidies, regional development grants, relief on investment and government procurement from the private sector.[18]

Corbyn opposes austerity, and has advocated an economic strategy based on investing-to-grow as opposed to making spending cuts. During his first Labour leadership election campaign, Corbyn proposed that the Bank of England should be able to issue money for capital spending, especially housebuilding, instead of quantitative easing, which attempts to stimulate the economy by buying assets from commercial banks. He describes it as "People's Quantitative Easing".[20] A number of economists, including Steve Keen, said that Corbyn's candidature for leadership of the Labour party "recognis[ed] the inspiring possibilities for a fairer and more equal society offered by an information economy in an interdependent world".[21] Robert Skidelsky offered a qualified endorsement of Corbyn's proposals to carry out QE through a National Investment Bank.[21][22] As the policy would change the central bank's focus on stabilising prices it has been argued it could increase the perceived risk of investing in the UK and raise the prospect of increased inflation.[23] His second leadership campaign saw him promise £500 billion in additional public spending, though he did not detail how he would fund it.[24]

Corbyn has been a consistent supporter of renationalising public utilities, such as the now-privatised British Rail and energy companies, back into public ownership.[25][26] Initially, Corbyn suggested completely renationalising the entire railway network, but would now bring them under public control "line by line" as franchises expire.[27]

National and constitutional issues

[edit]

Corbyn is a longstanding supporter of a united Ireland[28] and reportedly described himself as campaigner against imperialism in Ireland in 1984.[29] In 1985, Corbyn voted against the Anglo-Irish Agreement, saying that it strengthened the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland[30] and he opposed it as he wished to see a united Ireland.[31] In July 1998, Corbyn endorsed the Good Friday Agreement by voting for the Northern Ireland Bill saying: "We look forward to peace, hope and reconciliation in Ireland in the future."[32]

Corbyn would prefer Britain to become a republic, but has said that, given the Royal Family's popularity, "it's not a battle that I am fighting".[33][34]

On the issue of Scottish independence, when asked if he would consider himself a unionist, Corbyn said: "No, I would describe myself as a Socialist. I would prefer the UK to stay together, yes, but I recognise the right of people to take the decision on their own autonomy and independence."[35] Corbyn said that he did not favour holding a second Scottish independence referendum, but that it would be wrong for the UK Parliament to block such a referendum if the Scottish Parliament desired to have one.[36]

As Leader of the Opposition, Corbyn was one of the sponsors for the Constitutional Convention Bill, which was an attempt at codifying the UK's constitution, which has not been compiled into a single document.[37][38] He appointed a Shadow Minister for the Constitutional Convention into his Shadow Cabinet and Teresa Pearce stepped down after the May 2017 local elections and this position has since remained vacant.[39]

In October 2017, Corbyn was one of 113 MPs to sign a cross-party petition to Home Secretary Amber Rudd, which requested making it a criminal offence for opponents of abortion to hold protests outside of abortion clinics.[40][41][42] The letter called for buffer zones to be established around clinics, arguing women "face daily abuse when undergoing terminations", with protesters instead given space in town centres or Speakers' corner. He also promised to allow abortion in Northern Ireland as well as same-sex marriage.[43]

Education

[edit]

During the 2015 Labour leadership contest, Corbyn put forward a policy to scrap all tuition fees and restore student maintenance grants. The cost of the policy was estimated at £10 billion which would be funded by "a 7% rise in national insurance for those earning over £50,000 a year and a 2.5% higher corporation tax, or by slowing the pace at which the deficit is reduced". Corbyn apologised for the actions of previous Labour governments in imposing "fees, top-up fees and the replacement of grants with loans". He said "I opposed those changes at the time – as did many others – and now we have an opportunity to change course".[44]

During the 2017 election, Corbyn had a policy of scrapping university tuition fees from 2018 restoring the maintenance grants abolished by the Conservatives in 2016 and funding a free national education service. He also pledged to investigate cancelling student loan debts incurred by recent graduates. The policy said that the British average student starts their working life with debts of £44,000 due to tuition costs and that university tuition is free in many northern European countries. The education changes were costed at £9.5 billion and would be funded by increasing taxes on the top 5 per cent of earners and increasing corporations tax.[45][46]

European Union

[edit]

Corbyn has previously been a left-wing Eurosceptic. In the 1975 European Communities referendum, Corbyn opposed Britain's membership of the European Communities, the precursor of the EU.[47] Corbyn also opposed the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty in 1993,[48] opposed the Lisbon Treaty in 2008,[49] and backed a proposed referendum on British withdrawal from the EU in 2011.[50] He accused the EU of acting "brutally" in the 2015 Greek crisis by allowing financiers to destroy its economy.[50][51]

During his leadership campaign, Corbyn said there might be circumstances in which he would favour withdrawal from the EU.[52] In September 2015, Corbyn said that Labour would campaign for Britain to stay in the EU regardless of the result of Cameron's negotiations, and instead "pledge to reverse any changes" if Cameron reduced the rights of workers or citizens.[53] He also believed that Britain should play a crucial role in Europe by making demands about working arrangements across the continent, the levels of corporation taxation and in forming an agreement on environmental regulation.[54]

In June 2016, in the run-up to the EU referendum, Corbyn said that there was an "overwhelming case" for staying in the EU. In a speech in London, Corbyn said: "We, the Labour Party, are overwhelmingly for staying in, because we believe the European Union has brought investment, jobs and protection for workers, consumers and the environment." Corbyn also criticised media coverage and warnings from both sides, saying that the debate had been dominated too much by "myth-making and prophecies of doom".[55] He said he was "seven, or seven and a half" out of 10 for staying in the EU.[56]

In July 2017, Corbyn said that Britain could not remain in the European Single Market after leaving the EU, saying that membership of the single market was "dependent on membership of the EU", although it includes some non-EU countries.[57][58] Shadow Minister Barry Gardiner later suggested that Corbyn meant that Labour interpreted the referendum result as wanting to leave the single market.[59][60] Corbyn said that Labour would campaign for an alternative arrangement involving "tariff free access".[58] In October 2017, Corbyn said that he would vote remain if there were another referendum.[61]

In January 2018, Corbyn reiterated that Labour would not seek to keep the UK in the single market after Brexit and in June 2018 he called for a "new single market" deal for the UK after Brexit maintaining "full access" to the EU internal market, as opposed to the "Norway model" which pro-Remainers in the party wish to see.[62][63]

In 2018, Corbyn said his main reason for not committing to remaining in the single market was freedom from EU rules on state aid to industry. He said the UK government should not be "held back, inside or outside the EU, from taking the steps we need to support cutting edge industries and local business".[64] This prompted backlash from senior EU figures, who said that state subsidisation would be a "red line" in negotiations, as it would lead to a possible trade war between the UK and EU. One senior figure told The Times: "We have to protect ourselves and the single market ... If a Corbyn government implements his declared policies the level playing field mechanism will lead to increased costs for Britain to access the single market because of distortions caused by state aid."[65]

Also in 2018, Corbyn said he would seek a new type of customs union with the European Union, but will seek exemptions of some EU regulations for the UK, such as those regarding state aid and government subsidies.[66]

In January 2019, Labour lost a vote of no confidence in the government. The Conservative government sought to open cross-party talks while Corbyn initially said Labour would refuse to attend talks unless the government ruled out a "no deal Brexit".[67] In March 2019, Corbyn said that he could vote leave in a second referendum, depending on the Brexit deal on offer.[68]

Following the 2019 European Parliament election, Corbyn endorsed holding a referendum on the Brexit withdrawal agreement regardless of who negotiates it.[69][70]

Foreign affairs

[edit]

War and peace

[edit]
Corbyn spoke at a series of anti-Iraq War demonstrations
Corbyn outlining Labour's Defence and Foreign Policy priorities during a May 2017 speech at Chatham House

During the 1982 Falklands War, in a meeting of Haringey Council, Corbyn opposed a motion offering support to British troops sent to retake the islands, instead declaring the war to be a "Tory plot" and submitted an alternative motion that condemned the war as a "nauseating waste of lives and money".[71] Corbyn has said that he would like Britain to achieve "some reasonable accommodation" with Argentina over their Falkland Islands dispute, with a "degree of joint administration" between the two countries over the islands.[72][73]

Corbyn does not consider himself an absolute pacifist and in 2015 named the Spanish Civil War, the British naval blockade to stop the slave trade in the nineteenth century and the role of UN peacekeepers in the 1999 crisis in East Timor as justified conflicts.[74] In an interview from the same year, he said that opposing violence and war had been "the whole purpose of his life".[75] He prominently opposed the invasion of Iraq and War in Afghanistan, NATO-led military intervention in Libya,[76] military strikes against Assad's Syria, and military action against ISIS, and served as the chair of the Stop the War Coalition.[77] When challenged on whether there were any circumstances in which he would deploy military forces overseas he said "I'm sure there are some but I can't think of them at the moment."[77]

Corbyn has called for Tony Blair to be investigated for alleged war crimes during the Iraq War.[78] In July 2016, the Chilcot Report of the Iraq Inquiry was issued, criticising Blair for joining the United States in the war against Iraq. Subsequently, Corbyn – who had voted against military action against Iraq – gave a speech in Westminster commenting: "I now apologise sincerely on behalf of my party for the disastrous decision to go to war in Iraq in March 2003" which he called an "act of military aggression launched on a false pretext" something that has "long been regarded as illegal by the overwhelming weight of international opinion".[79] Corbyn specifically apologised to "the people of Iraq"; to the families of British soldiers who died in Iraq or returned injured; and to "the millions of British citizens who feel our democracy was traduced and undermined by the way in which the decision to go to war was taken on."[80]

Corbyn has said he would prefer to use diplomacy rather than armed force in international conflict. He would avoid military conflict by "building up the diplomatic relationships and also trying to not isolate any country in Europe". His aim is to "achieve a world where we don't need to go to war, where there is no need for it".[81]

NATO

[edit]

Corbyn favours the United Kingdom leaving NATO,[82] and for NATO to be disbanded.[83] In May 2012, Corbyn authored a piece in the Morning Star titled "High time for an end to NATO" where he described the organisation as an "instrument of cold war manipulation", saying that "The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1990, with the ending of the Warsaw Pact mutual defence strategy, was the obvious time for NATO to have been disbanded."[84] and also said in a 2014 speech that the organisation was an "engine for the delivery of oil to the oil companies" and called for it to "give up, go home and go away".[85]

For these comments and a refusal to answer whether he would defend a NATO ally in the case of attack he was criticised by Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the former Prime Minister of Denmark and NATO Secretary General, who said Corbyn's opinions were "tempting President Putin to aggression" and made comparisons between his views and those of the American president Donald Trump. He was also criticised by George Robertson, former Labour Party defence secretary, who said "It beggars belief that the leader of the party most responsible for the collective security pact of NATO should be so reckless as to undermine it by refusing to say he would come to the aid of an ally".[85]

He has since acknowledged that the British public do not agree with his beliefs that the UK should leave NATO, and instead intends to push for the organisation to "restrict its role". He believes there should be a debate about the extent of NATO's powers including its "democratic accountability" and why it has taken on a global role.[86] In April 2014, Corbyn wrote an article for the Morning Star attributing the crisis in Ukraine to NATO. He said the "root of the crisis" lay in "the US drive to expand eastwards" and described Russia's actions as "not unprovoked".[87] He has said it "probably was" a mistake to allow former Warsaw Pact countries to join NATO as it has increased tensions with Russia and made the "world infinitely more dangerous".[87][88] Subsequently, he criticised the British government and other Western countries for supplying arms to Ukraine.[89]

During the 2017 election, when questioned about Corbyn's anti-NATO statements, Labour Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry said, "Jeremy has been on a journey, to coin a phrase. There have been a number of discussions. It is quite clear that the predominance of opinion within the Labour is that we are committed to NATO."[90]

Nuclear weapons

[edit]

Corbyn is a longstanding supporter of unilateral nuclear disarmament,[91][92] although he has suggested a compromise of having submarines without nuclear weapons.[93][94] He has campaigned for many years against nuclear weapons and the replacement of Trident and has said he would not authorise the use of nuclear weapons if he were prime minister.[95][96] In June 2016, he agreed to allow Labour MPs a free vote on the replacement of Trident. In the subsequent vote 140 Labour MPs voted with the government in favour of the new submarines, in line with party policy, and 47 joined Corbyn to vote against. During the debate Corbyn said "I do not believe the threat of mass murder is a legitimate way to deal with international relations".[91]

United States

[edit]
Corbyn meets the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi in 2019

Following the election of Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential elections, Corbyn said that he believes that President Trump is not offering solutions to problems, but simply being divisive.[97] Corbyn also called for a proposed Trump state visit to the UK to be cancelled following his executive order banning visitors from certain majority-Muslim countries from entering the US.[98]

Corbyn criticised Trump's involvement in British politics after Trump said Boris Johnson should become PM and Nigel Farage should be part of the Brexit negotiating team, saying that it was "not [Trump's] business who the British prime minister is" following Trump's endorsement of Boris Johnson as a possible future leader.[99] Corbyn criticised Trump's attacks on Sadiq Khan as "unacceptable".[99]

Israel and Palestine

[edit]
Corbyn at a march for Palestine in Oxford in 2021

Corbyn is a member of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign,[100] campaigning, for example, against the killing of Palestinian civilians during the Gaza–Israel conflict.[101] In 2012 and again in 2017, Corbyn called for an investigation into Israeli influence in British politics.[102] In August 2016, Corbyn said: "I am not in favour of the academic or cultural boycott of Israel, and I am not in favour of a blanket boycott of Israeli goods. I do support targeted boycotts aimed at undermining the existence of illegal settlements in the West Bank."[103]

At a meeting hosted by Stop the War Coalition in 2009, six years before he became Labour leader, Corbyn said "It would be my pleasure and my honour to host an event in Parliament where our friends from Hezbollah will be speaking. I've also invited friends from Hamas to come and speak as well." He referred to Hamas as "an organisation dedicated towards the good of the Palestinian people," and said that the British government's labelling of Hamas as a terrorist organisation is "a big, big historical mistake."[104][105] Asked on Channel 4 News in July 2015 why he had called representatives from Hamas and Hezbollah "friends", Corbyn explained, "I use it in a collective way, saying our friends are prepared to talk," and that the specific occasion he used it was to introduce speakers from Hezbollah at a Parliamentary meeting about the Middle East. He said that he does not condone the actions of either organisation: "Does it mean I agree with Hamas and what it does? No. Does it mean I agree with Hezbollah and what they do? No. What it means is that I think to bring about a peace process, you have to talk to people with whom you may profoundly disagree … There is not going to be a peace process unless there is talks involving Israel, Hezbollah and Hamas and I think everyone knows that", he argued.

In January 2017, Corbyn expressed concern about Israeli involvement in British politics, after the broadcasting of The Lobby. He described the actions of the Israeli official, Shai Masot, as "improper interference in this country's democratic process" and was concerned on national security grounds that Boris Johnson had said the matter was closed.[106]

In his keynote speech at the 2018 annual Labour Party conference, Corbyn said that, if elected, his government would immediately recognise the Palestinian State as a way of supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He declared that the Labour Party condemned the "shooting of hundreds of unarmed demonstrators in Gaza by Israeli forces and the passing of Israel's discriminatory nation-state law".[107]

In May 2019, Corbyn sent a message of support to the National Demonstration for Palestine in London in which Ahed Tamimi participated. He said the Labour Party condemned the "ongoing human rights abuses by Israeli forces, including the shooting by Israeli forces of hundreds of unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza – most of them refugees or families of refugees – demanding their rights".[108][109]

In a television interview following the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Corbyn, when questioned, repeatedly refused to designate Hamas as a "terror group".[110] Some days later, in an opinion piece in Tribune magazine, he wrote that Hamas is a "terrorist organisation" and that the Israel army has carried out "acts of terror too".[111]

Tunisian wreath-laying controversy

[edit]
Main article: Corbyn wreath-laying controversy

In October 2014, Corbyn visited Tunisia to attend the "International Conference on Monitoring the Palestinian Political and Legal Situation in the Light of Israeli Aggression", organised by the Centre for Strategic Studies for North Africa. While there, Corbyn and other British parliamentarians attended a commemoration for victims of the 1985 Israeli air strikes on the PLO headquarters in Tunis.[112][113][114] The bombardment had been condemned by British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and US President Ronald Reagan, as well as the UN Security Council.[114][115]

In August 2018, the Daily Mail reported, with pictorial evidence, that during the event, Corbyn had also been present at a wreath-laying at the graves of Salah Khalaf and Atef Bseiso,[113] both of whom are thought to have been key members of the Black September Organization, which was behind the 1972 Munich massacre.[116] The Jerusalem Post commented: "In another photo, Corbyn is seen close to the grave of terrorist Atef Bseiso, intelligence chief of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Bseiso is also linked to the massacre."[117] There was condemnation from some of the British press, as well as from some members of the Labour Party and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.[118] A Labour spokesperson said that "a wreath was laid on behalf of those at the conference to all those who lost their lives, including families and children".[114]

On 1 August, BBC News showed in a report from inside the cemetery that for the memorial for the 1985 victims, Corbyn would have stood in a designated confined covered area where all dignitaries typically stand during annual ceremonies, which also covers the graves of Bseiso and Khalaf.[113] Corbyn said that he had been present during commemorations where a wreath was laid for Palestinian leaders linked to Black September, but did not think that he had actually been involved.[119][120] A Labour spokesperson stated that Corbyn "did not lay any wreath at the graves of those alleged to have been linked to the Black September Organisation or the 1972 Munich killings. He of course condemns that terrible attack, as he does the 1985 bombing."[119] The Labour Party initially made a complaint to the press watchdog Independent Press Standards Organisation against several newspapers' alleged misreporting of the event,[121] although this was later dropped.[122][123]

Kosovo

[edit]

Unlike most Labour MPs at the time, Corbyn and a few other backbenchers opposed NATO intervention during the Kosovo War.[124] In 2004, Corbyn and 24 other backbenchers signed a parliamentary motion praising an article by journalist John Pilger for "reminding readers of the devastating human cost of the so-termed 'humanitarian' invasion of Kosovo, led by NATO and the United States in the Spring of 1999, without any sanction of the United Nations Security Council". The motion also congratulated Pilger "on his expose of the fraudulent justifications for intervening in a 'genocide' that never really existed in Kosovo". The motion said that initial estimates of casualties by the US Ambassador for War Crimes Issues were much higher than the later body count by the International War Crimes Tribunal.[125] Balkan Insight wrote that, during the 2015 campaign for the Labour leadership, Corbyn was criticised by bloggers and journalists for "having once apparently dismissed Serbian war crimes in Kosovo as a fabrication".[126]

Sri Lanka and the Tamil Tigers

[edit]

In 2006, Corbyn signed a petition calling for the lifting of the ban on the Tamil Tigers, which it referred to as the "supposedly terrorist Tamil Tigers", stating that "the Sri Lanka government is carrying out an undeclared war against the Tamil people who have been struggling for more than two decades for the legitimate right to self-rule" and calling for an end to aerial bombardment by the Sri Lankan government.[127] In 2009, Corbyn called for a total economic boycott of Sri Lanka, stating "the tourism must stop, the arms must stop, the trade must stop", he later stated the Sri Lankan cricket team should also be boycotted. He expressed outrage particularly at the reports of the depopulation of Tamil areas of Eastern Sri Lanka and the relocation of Tamils, stating that denying Tamils the right to return home was in contravention of international law, as well as reports of systematic sexual violence.[127]

In 2016, after Corbyn released a video stating his "solidarity to stand with the Tamil community in the search for truth, justice, accountability and reconciliation", while the Labour Party reiterated its " full implementation of the UN Human Rights Councils resolution on Sri Lanka", some Tamil activists interpreted the video to be a signal of Jeremy Corbyn's "support for Tamil self-determination".[128] In 2017, John McDonnell stated that a Corbyn led Labour government would end arms sales to Sri Lanka.[129]

Iran

[edit]

Corbyn has called for the lifting of the sanctions on Iran as part of a negotiated full settlement of issues concerning the Iranian nuclear programme, and the starting of a political process to decommission Israel's nuclear arsenal.[130][131][132]

Saudi Arabia

[edit]

Corbyn has criticised Britain's close ties with Saudi Arabia and British involvement in the Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen. In January 2016, after a United Nations panel ruled Saudi-led bombing campaign of Yemen contravened international humanitarian law, Corbyn called for an independent inquiry into the UK's arms exports policy to Saudi Arabia. Corbyn and Hilary Benn wrote to David Cameron asking him to "set out the exact nature of the involvement of UK personnel working with the Saudi military".[133] Corbyn has constantly called for the British Government to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia to show that Britain wants a peace process in Yemen, "not an invasion by Saudi Arabia".[134] In March 2018, Corbyn accused Theresa May's government of "colluding" in war crimes committed by Saudi forces in Yemen. He said that a "humanitarian disaster is now taking place in Yemen. Millions face starvation...because of the Saudi led bombing campaign and the blockade."[135]

Corbyn called for the suspension of arms sales to Saudi Arabia after dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Corbyn also called for an international investigation into the assassination of Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi's war crimes in Yemen.[136][137]

Chagos Islands sovereignty dispute

[edit]

The sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean is disputed between the United Kingdom and Mauritius.[138][139] Corbyn said he would respect a UN vote calling on the UK to decolonise the Chagos Archipelago and return Chagos to Mauritius. He said that "What happened to the Chagos islanders was utterly disgraceful. [They were] forcibly removed from their own islands, unfortunately, by this country. The right of return to those islands is absolutely important as a symbol of the way in which we wish to behave in international law."[140]

Cuba

[edit]

Corbyn is a longtime supporter of the Cuba Solidarity Campaign, which campaigns against the US embargo against Cuba and supports the Cuban Revolution.[141][142][143] In November 2016, following the death of former communist President of Cuba Fidel Castro,[144] While saying that Castro had "flaws" and was a "huge figure of modern history, national independence and 20th Century socialism...Castro's achievements were many", Corbyn also praised his revolutionary "heroism".[145][146] Internal Labour party critics of Corbyn accused him of glossing over Castro's human rights abuses.[145]

Venezuela

[edit]

When Hugo Chávez, the United Socialist Party President of Venezuela died in 2013, Corbyn tweeted that "Hugo Chavez showed that the poor matter and wealth can be shared. He made massive contributions to Venezuela & a very wide world".[147] In 2014, Corbyn congratulated Chávez's successor, President Nicolás Maduro on his election to the presidency.[148] In February 2019, he said that "intervention in Venezuela and sanctions against the government of Nicolás Maduro were wrong" and that "only Venezuelans have the right to decide their own destiny". He was against outside interference in Venezuela, "whether from the US or anywhere else". He said there "needed to be dialogue and a negotiated settlement to overcome the crisis".[149]

Kurdistan and Kurds

[edit]

In 1988, Corbyn was one of the first MPs to raise the issue of Saddam Hussein's Halabja chemical attack against the Kurdish people, at a time when Hussein was still an ally of the west.[150][151][152] In the aftermath, he called upon the Tory government to institute sanctions against Iraq and Iran to end the Iran–Iraq War, and to end the use of chemical weapons against the Kurds.[153]

In 2016, Corbyn said that "if peace is wanted in the region, the Kurdish people's right to self-determination must be accepted." Referring to the Kurdish nationalist leader Abdullah Öcalan, he remarked "if there will be a peace process and solution, Öcalan must be free and at the table."[154]

At Chatham House in 2017 he was asked if he would "condemn the genocide which is going on against the Kurds in Syria and in Turkey," Corbyn responded with "I would be very strong with the Turkish government on its treatment of Kurdish people and minorities and the way in which it's denied them their decency and human rights." On warfare by Turkey against the Kurds, Corbyn stated, "If arms are being used to oppress people internally in violation of international law then they simply should not be supplied to them."[155][156]

Immigration

[edit]

In 2016, Corbyn said that the EU allowed migrants to undercut UK workers' wages and called for an EU-wide minimum wage that would be tied to living costs.[157]

Accusations of antisemitism

[edit]
Main articles: Antisemitism in the British Labour Party and The work of the Labour Party's Governance and Legal Unit in relation to antisemitism, 2014–2019

Corbyn's critics,[158] including British Orthodox rabbi Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth,[159] have accused him of antisemitism in relation to past associations and comments as well as his handling of allegations within the party while defenders have cited his support for Jews against racism. These associations[160] included hosting a meeting where Holocaust survivor and anti-Zionist political activist Hajo Meyer compared Israeli actions in Gaza to elements of the Holocaust; Corbyn stated of this event, "In the past, in pursuit of justice for the Palestinian people and peace in Israel/Palestine, I have on occasion appeared on platforms with people whose views I completely reject. I apologise for the concerns and anxiety that this has caused."[161][162] Corbyn attended "two or three" of the annual Deir Yassin Remembered commemorations in London, with Jewish fellow Labour MP Gerald Kaufman, organised by a group founded by Paul Eisen, who has denied the Holocaust,[163][164] but it is not known whether Eisen attended the commemorations.[165][166] Corbyn stated that he was unaware of the views expressed by Eisen, and had associated with Mayer and others with whom he disagreed in pursuit of progress in the Middle East.[167][161][168][169]

Corbyn has been criticised for his defence of Palestinian-Israeli cleric and activist Raed Salah, who was arrested in 2011 due to a deportation order one day before he was due to attend a meeting with MPs including Corbyn.[170] Salah was accused of spreading the "blood libel" (the myth that Jews in Europe had used children's blood in making holy bread), a claim which he strongly denied. He had also written an article suggesting that 4,000 "Jewish clerks" had been absent on the day of the 9/11 attacks attacks, alluding to the conspiracy theory that the Israeli secret service Mossad was involved in the attack.[171] In a statement, Salah condemned antisemitism[172] and denied the accusation of blood libel, of which he was later convicted and sentenced to eight months in prison[173] before he successfully appealed his deportation. Corbyn said that Salah was "a voice of the Palestinian people that needs to be heard" and accused then-Home Secretary Theresa May of giving "an executive detention order against him".[174] Following Salah's successful appeal against deportation, Corbyn said he was looking forward to inviting the cleric to "tea on the House of Commons terrace, because you deserve it". A Labour source also stated in response, "Jeremy Corbyn is a determined supporter of justice for the Palestinian people and opponent of anti-Semitism. He condemns support for Palestinians being used as a mask for anti-Semitism and attempts to silence legitimate criticism of Israel by wrongly conflating it with anti-Semitism. There was widespread criticism of the attempt to deport Raed Salah, including from Jews for Justice for Palestinians, and his appeal against deportation succeeded on all grounds."[174]

In 2012, the artist Mear One publicised on social media that his mural Freedom for Humanity, about exploitative bankers and industrialists, was being censored; Corbyn responded at the time by questioning the removal of the artwork, and then in 2018 was criticised by Jewish leaders for not recognising an antisemitic canard. In response to that criticism, Corbyn said he regretted that he "did not look more closely at the image", agreed it was antisemitic, and endorsed the decision to remove it.[175][176] In 2020, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) revealed that an antisemitism complaint had been made against Corbyn in April 2018 over his defence of the mural and that members of Corbyn's office "directly interfered in the decision not to investigate the case", an example of political interference which the EHRC concluded was "unlawful".[177] Corbyn was criticised for a 2013 speech in which he spoke of certain Zionists who had "berated" the Palestinian speaker at a meeting, "they don't want to study history and secondly having lived in this country for a very long time, probably all their lives, they don't understand English irony either" (used by the speaker).[178][179][180][181] The remarks were criticised for appearing to perpetuate the antisemitic canard that Jews fail or refuse to integrate into wider society.[182][183] Corbyn responded that he was using Zionist "in the accurate political sense and not as a euphemism for Jewish people".[178] Jonathan Sacks, a former Chief Rabbi, described the remark as "the most offensive statement made by a senior British politician since Enoch Powell's 1968 'rivers of blood' speech."[184]

Following coverage of alleged antisemitic statements by party members, Corbyn commissioned the Chakrabarti Inquiry and supported changes to the party's rules and procedures to make hate speech and expressions of racism a disciplinary offence.[185] In July 2018, Labour, with Corbyn's support, agreed a code of conduct which excluded or amended some of the examples from the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism relating to criticism of Israel. Britain's three main Jewish newspapers jointly called a Corbyn-led government an "existential threat to Jewish life" in Britain.[186][187] Corbyn was accosted by Labour MP Margaret Hodge in the Commons; she then told him she believed he was "an antisemitic racist" because of his perceived reluctance to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of antisemitism in full.[188] In an opinion piece for The Guardian, Hodge explained that, for her, as the daughter of Holocaust survivors, the issue of racism was personal.[189] The party began disciplinary action against Hodge but dropped the charges in August, claiming she had "expressed regret for the manner in which she raised her views", but Hodge denied this was the case.[190]

In 2019, Corbyn was criticised[191] for a foreword he wrote in 2011 for a republication of the 1902 book Imperialism: A Study by John A. Hobson, as the book contains the antisemitic assertion that finance was controlled "by men of a single and peculiar race, who have behind them many centuries of financial experience" who "are in a unique position to control the policy of nations". In his foreword, he called the book a "great tome" and "brilliant, and very controversial at the time".[192] Corbyn responded that the language used to describe minorities in Hobson's work is "absolutely deplorable", but he stated that his foreword analysed "the process which led to the first world war" which he saw as the subject of the book and not Hobson's language.[192]

In 2020, former Corbyn advisor Andrew Murray suggested Corbyn may have struggled to empathise with the Jewish community during his leadership, stating: "He is very empathetic, Jeremy, but he's empathetic with the poor, the disadvantaged, the migrant, the marginalised. [...] Happily, that is not the Jewish community in Britain today."[193][194] Corbyn raised the question in internal debates of whether there was a risk of giving the Jewish community 'special treatment'.[194] In 2021 Corbyn was a guest at the Cambridge Union. He was asked by the society's President, Joel Rosen, what he had done to stop Luciana Berger, a Jewish MP for Liverpool Wavertree, from being "hounded out" of the Labour party. Corbyn replied that Berger "was not hounded out of the party. She unfortunately decided to resign from the party."[195][196]

A September 2018 poll carried out by polling firm Survation, on behalf of the Jewish Chronicle, found that 86% of British Jews and 39% of the British public believed Corbyn to be antisemitic.[197] A poll conducted in 2021 by YouGov, again on behalf of the Jewish Chronicle, found that 70% of Labour members dismissed the idea that the party had a problem with antisemitism, and 72% believe Corbyn should not have been expelled from the party.[198]

In November 2019, a number of British public figures urged voters in a letter published in The Guardian to reject Corbyn in the impending general election, alleging an "association with antisemitism".[199] The Labour Party responded by noting their robust actions in dealing with it and that several of the signatories had themselves been accused of antisemitism, Islamophobia and misogyny and/or were Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.[200]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Corbyn: I'm a Socialist not a Unionist". HeraldScotland.
  2. ^ Gjersø, Jonas (9 June 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn – a mainstream [Scandinavian] social democrat". openDemocracy. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  3. ^ Asthana, Anushka; Stewart, Heather (11 May 2017). "Labour party's plan to nationalise mail, rail and energy firms". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  4. ^ McTague, Tom; Cooper, Charlie (26 September 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn under fire for stance on nuclear weapons". Politico. Archived from the original on 31 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.
  5. ^ MacAskill, Ewen (17 August 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn's foreign causes: a blessing or a curse?". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  6. ^ Butler, David; Kavanagh, Dennis (1997). The British General Election of 1997. Basingstoke: Macmillan. p. 171. ISBN 978-0-333-64776-9.
  7. ^ a b Maidment, Jack (2017). "The Marx Brothers: Jeremy Corbyn joins John McDonnell in praising Communist icon's work". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017.
  8. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn backs John McDonnell and says Marx was a 'great economist'". 2017. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  9. ^ "Far from being a left-wing radical, Jeremy Corbyn is slouching towards Milibandism". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 20 June 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  10. ^ "Labour's manifesto is more Keynesian than Marxist". New Statesman. 16 May 2017. Archived from the original on 19 May 2017. Retrieved 10 June 2017.
  11. ^ Brennan, Harry (9 March 2023). "Corbyn's hard-Left vision for Britain is close to reality – thanks to the Tories". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 9 March 2023.
  12. ^ Watt, Nicholas (7 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn: 'We are not doing celebrity, personality or abusive politics – this is about hope'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017.
  13. ^ Corbyn, Jeremy (26 August 2015). "Labour must clean up the mess it made with PFI, and save the health service". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 21 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  14. ^ Wintour, Patrick (22 July 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn vows to raise taxes for the rich if elected Prime Minister". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 September 2015. Retrieved 18 September 2015.
  15. ^ Waugh, Paul (15 September 2015). "John McDonnell Unveils His First Policy: A £10 Minimum Wage". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  16. ^ O'Donnell, Svenja (14 August 2015). "What is 'Corbynomics' – And What Might it Mean for Britain?". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 23 July 2016.
  17. ^ Grice, Andrew (3 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn allies accuse Chris Leslie of deliberately misrepresenting Labour frontrunner's economic policies". The Independent. London, UK. Archived from the original on 25 September 2015.
  18. ^ a b Chakrabortty, Aditya (7 July 2015). "The £93bn handshake: businesses pocket huge subsidies and tax breaks". The Guardian. London, UK. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 31 December 2016.
  19. ^ Farnsworth, Kevin (2015). "The British Corporate Welfare State: Public Provision for Private Businesses" (PDF). Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute. Archived (PDF) from the original on 25 September 2015.
  20. ^ "What is Jeremy Corbyn's programme for Government?". BBC News. 14 August 2015. Archived from the original on 13 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  21. ^ a b "The Labour party stands at a crossroads". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 15 August 2015.
  22. ^ Robert Skidelsky, 'Why we should take Corbynomics seriously,' Archived 19 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine The Guardian 19 August 2015.
  23. ^ Peston, Robert (12 August 2015). "Would Corbyn's 'QE for people' float or sink Britain?". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 August 2015.
  24. ^ Eaton, George (4 August 2016). "How would Jeremy Corbyn pay for his spending pledges?". New Statesman. Archived from the original on 26 August 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2016.
  25. ^ Merrick, Jane (9 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn to 'bring back Clause IV': Contender pledges to bury New Labour with commitment to public ownership of industry". The Independent on Sunday. London, UK. Archived from the original on 9 August 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2015.
  26. ^ Dathan, Matt; Stone, Jon (23 July 2015). "The 9 charts that show the 'left-wing' policies of Jeremy Corbyn the public actually agrees with". The Independent. London, UK. Archived from the original on 24 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2015.
  27. ^ "Labour would renationalise railways 'line by line,' says Jeremy Corbyn". BBC News. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016.
  28. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn reiterates support for united Ireland". The Irish Times. 24 September 2015. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  29. ^ Parkhouse, Geoffrey (17 December 1984). "Kinnock is appalled at visit of IRA bombers". The Glasgow Herald. Retrieved 19 September 2015.
  30. ^ O'Reilly, Jo (14 September 2015). "What does a Jeremy Corbyn led Labour opposition mean for Ireland?". The Irish Post. Archived from the original on 18 September 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2017.
  31. ^ "Anglo-Irish Agreement HC Deb 27 November 1985 vol 87 cc884-973". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 27 November 1985. Archived from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2015.
  32. ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 31 Jul 1998 (pt 6)". Parliament. 31 July 1998. Archived from the original on 26 June 2017. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  33. ^ "Who is Jeremy Corbyn? Labour leadership contender guide". BBC News. 30 July 2015. Archived from the original on 1 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  34. ^ "Bedrock of the British state – Weekly Worker". weeklyworker.co.uk. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  35. ^ Settle, Michael (18 August 2015). "Corbyn: I'm a Socialist not a Unionist". The Herald. Glasgow. Archived from the original on 19 August 2015.
  36. ^ Walker, Peter (13 March 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn denies backing second Scottish independence vote". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 13 March 2017. Retrieved 13 March 2017.
  37. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn rejects 'new Act of Union' call". BBC News. 12 January 2017. Archived from the original on 20 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  38. ^ Johnson, Simon (12 January 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn rejects Kezia Dugdale's keynote plan for new Act of Union". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 3 March 2017. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  39. ^ "Her Majesty's Official Opposition". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 2 December 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  40. ^ Maidment, Jack (26 October 2017). "Amber Rudd urged by 113 MPs to ban protests outside abortion clinics". Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  41. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn joins 100 MPs calling for ban on vigils outside abortion clinics". Catholic Herald. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2017.
  42. ^ Elgot, Jessica (26 October 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn backs call for abortion clinic buffer zones". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  43. ^ Clarke, Liam (6 August 2015). "Labour's Jeremy Corbyn vows to bring abortion and same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland as victims blast refusal to condemn IRA terror". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  44. ^ Wintour, Patrick (15 July 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn announces £10bn plan to scrap university tuition fees". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  45. ^ Mason, Rowena (21 May 2017). "Labour pledges to abolish tuition fees as early as autumn 2017". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  46. ^ Chang, Charis (14 June 2017). "Is Jeremy Corbyn's policy for free university education as crazy as it sounds?". AP. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  47. ^ Hughes, Laura (11 September 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn admits he voted for Britain to leave Europe in 1975". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 18 January 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2016.
  48. ^ Stone, Jon (18 September 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn predicted the Euro would lead to 'a bankers' Europe'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  49. ^ "Lisbon Treaty (Second Reading)". Public Whip. 21 January 2008. Archived from the original on 4 July 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  50. ^ a b MacLellan, Kylie (12 September 2015). "Labour's Corbyn, who voted 'No' in 1975, raises Brexit fears". Reuters. London, UK. Archived from the original on 30 June 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
  51. ^ Wilson, Jeremy (14 April 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn wants Britain to remain in the EU – but here are all the times he said it was bad". Business Insider. Archived from the original on 22 June 2016.
  52. ^ Waugh, Paul (25 July 2015) 'Jeremy Corbyn Refuses To Rule Out Campaigning For Britain To Quit The European Union Archived 19 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine', The Huffington Post UK
  53. ^ Wintour, Patrick (17 September 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn: Labour will campaign for UK to stay in the EU". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  54. ^ Wilkinson, Michael (31 July 2015), "Jeremy Corbyn's policies: A-Z on the Labour Leader contender's position on austerity, education and taxation", The Daily Telegraph, London, archived from the original on 19 August 2015, retrieved 21 August 2015
  55. ^ Pienaar, John (2 June 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn says 'overwhelming case' for staying in EU". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 September 2016.
  56. ^ "Corbyn: I'm 'seven out of 10' on EU". BBC News. 11 June 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2016. Retrieved 24 June 2016.
  57. ^ Stone, John (23 July 2017). "Labour would take Britain out of the EU single market, Jeremy Corbyn says". Independent. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  58. ^ a b Elgot, Jessica (23 July 2017). "Labour would leave single market, says Jeremy Corbyn". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  59. ^ May, Josh (23 July 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn insists UK cannot be part of single market after Brexit". PoliticsHome. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  60. ^ Gardiner, Barry (24 July 2017). "Brexit means leaving the single market and the customs union. Here's why". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 August 2017.
  61. ^ Merrick, Rob (12 October 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn says he would still vote to Remain in Brexit referendum". The Independent. Archived from the original on 30 October 2017. Retrieved 3 November 2017.
  62. ^ Mason, Rowena (8 January 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn insists UK cannot remain in single market after Brexit". The Guardian.
  63. ^ Craig, Jon (6 June 2018). "Corbyn facing Labour backlash as he demands 'new single market' after Brexit". Sky News. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  64. ^ Stone, Jon (10 April 2018). "Brexit: Public backs Jeremy Corbyn's plan to abandon EU state aid rules, poll shows". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  65. ^ Waterfield, Bruno; Fisher, Lucy (7 May 2018). "Fear of Jeremy Corbyn-led government prompts tough EU line on Brexit". The Times. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  66. ^ Brunsden, Jim (26 February 2018). "Corbyn's customs union plan – what it might mean". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022.
  67. ^ Sabbagh, Dan (16 January 2019). "Corbyn: no talks with May until no-deal Brexit is off table". The Guardian.
  68. ^ Hossein-Pour, Anahita (17 March 2019). "Jeremy Corbyn says he could vote to leave EU in second Brexit referendum". PoliticsHome. Retrieved 25 October 2019.
  69. ^ Mason, Rowena; Elgot, Jessica (28 May 2019). "Corbyn backs referendum on Brexit deal after EU election exodus". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media.
  70. ^ Corbyn, Jeremy (9 July 2019). "The next Prime Minister should put their Brexit deal or No Deal back to the people". The Labour Party. Labour Party. Retrieved 16 September 2019. Whoever becomes the new Prime Minister should have the confidence to put their deal, or No Deal, back to the people in a public vote.
  71. ^ Prince, Rosa (28 January 2016). Comrade Corbyn: A Very Unlikely Coup: How Jeremy Corbyn Stormed to the Labour Leadership. Biteback Publishing. p. 52. ISBN 9781785900044.
  72. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn wants power-sharing deal for Falkland Islands". The Guardian. 24 January 2016. Archived from the original on 20 May 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  73. ^ Swinford, Steven (29 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn's Falklands plan tantamount to surrender to Argentina, warns wounded veteran Simon Weston". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  74. ^ Waugh, Paul (20 December 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn says of Dresden firestorm: 'Bombing civilian targets is never a good idea". Huffington Post. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015.
  75. ^ "Are You A Pacifist? Labour Leader Speaks To Sky". Sky News (video). 25 September 2015. Archived from the original on 30 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  76. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn: Libya and the suspicious rush to war Archived 21 August 2016 at the Wayback Machine". The Guardian. 21 March 2011.
  77. ^ a b Kelly, Jon (13 September 2015). "24 things that Jeremy Corbyn believes". BBC News. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 29 September 2015.
  78. ^ Stone, Jon (23 May 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn 'still prepared to call for Tony Blair war crimes investigation'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  79. ^ "Tony Blair says world is better as a result of Iraq War". BBC News. 7 July 2016. Archived from the original on 7 July 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2016. He said the report proved the Iraq War had been an "act of military aggression launched on a false pretext", something he said which has "long been regarded as illegal by the overwhelming weight of international opinion"
  80. ^ Andrew Grice, Jeremy Corbyn apologises on behalf of Labour for 'disastrous decision' to join Iraq War Archived 6 July 2016 at the Wayback Machine, The Independent (6 July 2016).
  81. ^ Sands, Mark (19 August 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn and Donald Trump share a bold view on NATO". Business Insider. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  82. ^ Dutta, Kunal (4 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn winning Labour leadership could threaten Tory plans to bomb Isis in Syria". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  83. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn calls for Nato to be 'ultimately disbanded'". The Times. 2022. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  84. ^ Corbyn, Jeremy (16 April 2014). "Nato belligerence endangers us all". Morning Star.
  85. ^ a b Hughes, Laura; Swinford, Steven; Farmer, Ben (19 August 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn called for Nato to be closed down and members to 'give up, go home and go away'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  86. ^ Hughes, Laura (27 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn backtracks on calls for Britain to leave NATO". The Daily Telegraph. London, UK. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  87. ^ a b Corbyn, Jeremy (17 April 2014). "Nato belligerence endangers us all". Morning Star. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  88. ^ Watt, Nicholas (7 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn: 'We are not doing celebrity, personality or abusive politics – this is about hope'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 7 April 2017.
  89. ^ Maidment, Jack (22 April 2022). "Jeremy Corbyn criticises UK for 'prolonging war in Ukraine'". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 2 August 2022.
  90. ^ "Emily Thornberry forced to watch clips of Corbyn saying Nato is 'danger to the world' in excruciating interview". The Independent. 14 May 2017. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022.
  91. ^ a b Mason, Rowena (18 July 2016). "Commons votes for Trident renewal by majority of 355". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on 18 July 2016. Retrieved 18 July 2016.
  92. ^ Kuenssberg, Laura (19 July 2016). "MPs vote to renew Trident weapons system". BBC News. Archived from the original on 18 July 2016. Retrieved 19 July 2016. Jeremy Corbyn has been heckled and accused of lying by his own MPs and told he was "defending the countries' enemies" as he announced he would vote against renewing Trident.
  93. ^ Mason, Rowena (17 January 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn hints at no-nuke subs in Trident compromise". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 28 January 2017.
  94. ^ "Theresa May: It would be irresponsible to scrap Trident". BBC News. 18 July 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2019. MPs will vote later on whether to renew the Trident nuclear weapons programme.
  95. ^ Wintour, Patrick (30 September 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn: I would never use nuclear weapons if I were PM". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  96. ^ Taylor, Matthew (16 October 2015). "CND membership surge gathers pace after Jeremy Corbyn election". The Guardian. Retrieved 22 March 2019.
  97. ^ Cowburn, Ashley (9 November 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn responds to Donald Trump win: 'An unmistakable rejection of a political establishment'". The Independent. Archived from the original on 12 November 2016.
  98. ^ Merrick, Rob (9 February 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn: Donald Trump's state visit to the UK should be scrapped". www.independent.co.uk. The Independent. Archived from the original on 16 April 2017. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
  99. ^ a b "Corbyn: It's not Trump's business who's PM". BBC News. 13 July 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  100. ^ Cohen, Nick (13 September 2016). "The Left's Jewish Problem: Jeremy Corbyn, Israel and Anti‑Semitism – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 23 November 2017.
  101. ^ "MPs, actors, authors and musicians among 21,000 demanding arms embargo on Israel". Palestine Solidarity Campaign. 25 July 2014. Archived from the original on 23 June 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2015.
  102. ^ JTA (16 January 2017). "Labour leader wants probe into Israel's influence on UK politics". The Times of Israel.
  103. ^ Watts, Joe (29 November 2016) "Corbyn-backed boycotts of Israeli goods are 'morally wrong', says Tom Watson". The Independent.
  104. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn on Hamas and Hezbollah". YouTube. 15 June 2015. Archived from the original on 25 June 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  105. ^ Massie, Alex. "Britain's Labour Party Is Cutting Off Its Nose to Spite Its Face". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 31 December 2015.
  106. ^ "UK: Corbyn calls for probe into Israeli 'interference'". al Jazeera. 14 January 2017. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  107. ^ Bachner, Michael; Staff, Toi (26 September 2018). "Corbyn says UK will immediately recognize Palestinian state if he's elected". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  108. ^ Toi Staff (11 May 2019). "Backed by Corbyn, over 3,000 march for 'free Palestine' in London". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  109. ^ ""Hamas is terror group": Newly appointed UK Home Secy James Cleverly confirms". The Print. 14 November 2023.
  110. ^ Bullen, Jamie (14 November 2023). "Watch: Jeremy Corbyn refuses to call Hamas terrorists after Piers Morgan asks him 15 times". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  111. ^ Badshah, Nadeem (18 November 2023). "Jeremy Corbyn calls Hamas 'terrorist group' after previous demurral". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
  112. ^ Watts, Joe (14 August 2018). "Tory peer admits he was also at Palestinian conference at centre of Jeremy Corbyn's wreath-laying controversy". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  113. ^ a b c "Jeremy Corbyn wreath row explained". BBC News. 15 August 2018. Retrieved 18 August 2018.
  114. ^ a b c "FactCheck: Jeremy Corbyn and the wreath row". Channel 4 News. 16 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  115. ^ Prial, Frank (3 October 1985). "Tunisia's Leader Bitter at the U.S." The New York Times. Retrieved 9 December 2018.
  116. ^ Sabbagh, Dan (14 August 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn: I was present at wreath-laying but don't think I was involved". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  117. ^ Sharon, Jeremy (12 August 2018). "Labour Leader Corbyn Photographed Laying Wreath For Munich Terrorists". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  118. ^ Kentish, Benjamin. "Benjamin Netanyahu says Jeremy Corbyn deserves 'unequivocal condemnation' for attending memorial to Munich terrorists". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 June 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  119. ^ a b Sabbagh, Dan (13 August 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn: I was present at wreath-laying but don't think I was involved". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  120. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn 'thinks' he did not lay wreath to Palestinian terrorists". Sky News. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  121. ^ Waterson, Jim (16 August 2018). "Labour complains to regulator over coverage of cemetery visit". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  122. ^ Walker, Peter; Waterson, Jim; Sabbagh, Dan; Crerar, Pippa (1 October 2018). "Conservative conference: Ruth Davidson calls for 'practical, pragmatic' Brexit – as it happened". The Guardian.
  123. ^ Tobitt, Charlotte (26 October 2018). "Labour drops complaint against six newspapers over Corbyn wreath coverage after email leak 'unacceptably compromised' IPSO process".
  124. ^ Cragg, Andrew (2017). "A Socialist Schism: British Socialists' Reaction to the Downfall of Slobodan Milosevic": 41. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  125. ^ "JOHN PILGER AND KOSOVO – Early Day Motions – UK Parliament". edm.parliament.uk.
  126. ^ "UK Labour Frontrunner Queried on Kosovo Motion". Balkan Insight. 17 August 2015.
  127. ^ a b "Corbyn elected as UK's opposition leader". Tamil Guardian. 12 September 2015.
  128. ^ "UK's Labour Party supports Sri Lankan Tamil cause". Deccan Chronicle. 19 May 2016.
  129. ^ TU Senan (7 May 2017). "Corbyn Government Will End Military Aid To Sri Lanka: John McDonnell". Colombo Telegraph. Retrieved 13 February 2019.
  130. ^ "Rebuilding relations with Iran". morningstaronline.co.uk. 14 January 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015.
  131. ^ Waugh, Paul (13 July 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn's Hamas Grilling Leaves Him Accusing Channel 4 News Of 'Tabloid Journalism'". The Huffington Post UK. Archived from the original on 6 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  132. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn: 'I wanted Hamas to be part of the debate'". Channel 4 News. 13 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  133. ^ MacAskill, Ewen; Wintour, Patrick (27 January 2016). "Labour seeks details of UK role in Saudi-led airstrikes on Yemen". The Independent. Archived from the original on 16 October 2016.
  134. ^ Stone, Jon (1 July 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn reiterates call for UK to stop selling arms to Saudi Arabia". The Independent. Archived from the original on 1 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  135. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn accuses UK military of 'directing war' by Saudi Arabia in Yemen". The Independent. 7 March 2018.
  136. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn calls for Saudi arms sales suspension amid journalist's disappearance". ITV News. 17 October 2018.
  137. ^ "Saudis change Khashoggi story again, admit killing was 'premeditated'". NBC News. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  138. ^ "Chagos Islands dispute: UK obliged to end control – UN". BBC News. 25 February 2019.
  139. ^ "Chagos Islands dispute: Mauritius calls US and UK 'hypocrites'". BBC News. 19 October 2020.
  140. ^ "Labour would return Chagos Islands, says Jeremy Corbyn". The Guardian. 22 November 2019.
  141. ^ Editorial Staff Opinion (26 September 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn promises socialism, the poisonous dogma that has killed millions of innocents". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 April 2017.
  142. ^ Jones, Simon (26 November 2016). "Fidel Castro: Jeremy Corbyn praises 'huge figure'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017.
  143. ^ Riley-Smith, Ben; Horton, Helena (26 November 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn praises Fidel Castro's 'heroism' after death announced". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2017.
  144. ^ Graham, Chris; Rothwell, James; Alexander, Harriet (26 November 2016). "Fidel Castro, Cuba's communist revolutionary, dead aged 90 – latest news, world's reaction, and what his death means for the county". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  145. ^ a b Keate, Georgie; Fisher, Lucy (28 November 2016). "Corbyn walks into a row by hailing dictator's 'heroism'". The Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017. (subscription required)
  146. ^ Jones, Simon (26 November 2016). "Fidel Castro: Jeremy Corbyn praises 'huge figure'". BBC News. Archived from the original on 26 November 2016.
  147. ^ "Islington MP Jeremy Corbyn pays tribute to Hugo Chavez" Archived 16 May 2017 at the Wayback Machine, Retrieved 11 June 2017.
  148. ^ Elgot, Jessica; Asthana, Anushka (3 August 2017). "Labour speaks out on Venezuela as pressure mounts on Corbyn". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  149. ^ Stephens, Philip (7 February 2019). "Ideology blinds Jeremy Corbyn to Venezuela's plight". www.ft.com. Archived from the original on 10 December 2022. Retrieved 3 April 2021.
  150. ^ MacAskill, Ewen (17 August 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn's foreign causes: a blessing or a curse?". theguardian.com. Archived from the original on 26 January 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  151. ^ White, Michael (26 September 1996). "Two MPs for price of one in gentle firebrand Corbyn". The Guardian. p. 5. ... he was, for instance, the first MP to make a fuss about Saddam Hussein's gassing of Kurdish villages in 1988, when the Iraqi leader was still the West's ally.
  152. ^ Nunns, Alex (30 January 2018). The Candidate: Jeremy Corbyn's Improbable Path to Power (2nd ed.). OR Books. p. 349. ISBN 978-1-68219-105-7.
  153. ^ Rai, Milan (20 August 2003). Regime Unchanged: Why the War on Iraq Changed Nothing. Pluto. p. 32. ISBN 978-0-7453-2199-8.
  154. ^ "British main opposition leader: Öcalan must be free for peace". Firat News Agency. 16 September 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  155. ^ Jeremy Corbyn on Labour's Defence and Foreign Policy Priorities, Chatham House, 12 May 2017, archived from the original on 28 October 2021, retrieved 24 August 2018
  156. ^ "UK Labour leader: All Mideast settlements must ensure Kurdish rights". Rudaw Media Network. 14 May 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
  157. ^ Hughes, Laura (14 April 2016). "Jeremy Corbyn tells Labour voters: I don't think too many EU migrants have come to Britain". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  158. ^ "A guide to Labour Party anti-Semitism claims". BBC News. 18 November 2020.
  159. ^ "Ex-chief rabbi condemns Corbyn comments on British Zionists". BBC News. 28 August 2018.
  160. ^ Shirbon, Estelle. "British Jews protest against Labour's Corbyn over anti-Semitism". Reuters.
  161. ^ a b Marsh, Sarah (1 August 2018). "Corbyn apologises over event where Israel was compared to Nazis". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  162. ^ Zeffman, Henry (1 August 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn hosted event likening Israel to Nazis". The Times. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  163. ^ Mendick, Robert (20 May 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn's 10-year association with group which denies the Holocaust". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
  164. ^ Sokol, Sam (5 April 2016). "Britain's Labour Party expels activist over Holocaust denial". The Jerusalem Post.
  165. ^ Mendick, Roberet (20 May 2017). "Jeremy Corbyn's 10-year association with group which denies the Holocaust". The Daily Telegraph. Mr Corbyn was considered to be a "stalwart" supporter of an anti-Israel campaign group Deir Yassin Remembered (DYR) for several years after its organisers were exposed publicly for their extreme anti-Semitic views.
  166. ^ Eisen, Paul (2008). "My Life as a Holocaust Denier". www.righteousjews.org.
  167. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn: 'I wanted Hamas to be part of the debate'". Channel 4 News. 13 July 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  168. ^ Mason, Rowena (17 August 2015). "Jeremy Corbyn says antisemitism claims 'ludicrous and wrong'". The Guardian. Corbyn said he did attend a few meetings some years ago of a group called Deir Yassin Remembered
  169. ^ Elgot, Jessica (8 March 2018). "Labour suspends party members in 'antisemitic' Facebook group". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  170. ^ Travis, Alan (29 June 2011). "Leading Palestinian activist arrested in London". The Guardian.
  171. ^ Ware, John (29 June 2011). "Questions over Sheikh Raed Salah's UK ban". BBC News.
  172. ^ "A response to accusations made against Shaikh Raed Salah, Head of the Islamic Movement". Middle East Monitor. 20 February 2014. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  173. ^ "Sheikh Raed Salah gets 8 months for incitement to violence". The Jerusalem Post. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  174. ^ a b "The Londoner: Jeremy Corbyn's articles open old wounds". Evening Standard. 2 April 2019.
  175. ^ Stewart, Heather (23 March 2018). "Corbyn in antisemitism row after backing artist behind 'offensive' mural". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  176. ^ Lipstadt, Deborah E. (2019). Antisemitism: Here and Now. Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. pp. 59–61. ISBN 978-0-8052-4338-3.
  177. ^ Courea, Eleni; Fisher, Lucy; Elliott, Francis (29 October 2020). "Jeremy Corbyn suspended from Labour after antisemitism verdict". The Times.
  178. ^ a b Stewart, Heather; Sparrow, Andrew (24 August 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn: I used the term 'Zionist' in accurate political sense". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  179. ^ Paul, Jonny (20 January 2013). "Palestinian envoy to Britain dismisses two-state solution". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  180. ^ Corbyn, Jeremy (29 August 2018). "Full text of that speech by Jeremy on the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, English irony and certain Zionist critics, ['Britain's Legacy in Palestine' conference, 19 January 2013, Friends Meeting House, Palestinian Return Centre]". Labour Briefing website. Archived from the original on 11 September 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  181. ^ "Remarks about Zionists draw official complaint against Jeremy Corbyn". The Observer. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  182. ^ Mead, Rebecca (27 August 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn and the English Fetishization of Irony". The New Yorker. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  183. ^ Hattenstone, Simon (24 August 2018). "I still don't believe Corbyn is antisemitic – but his 'irony' comments unquestionably were". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  184. ^ "Corbyn's "Zionist" remarks were "most offensive" since Enoch Powell, says ex-chief rabbi". www.newstatesman.com. 10 June 2021.
  185. ^ Elgot, Jessica (26 September 2017). "Labour to adopt new antisemitism rules after conference row". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  186. ^ "New Labour anti-Semitism code faces criticism". BBC News. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
  187. ^ Rawlinson, Kevin; Crerar, Pippa (26 July 2018). "Jewish newspapers claim Corbyn poses 'existential threat'". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  188. ^ "Labour acts against Margaret Hodge for calling Corbyn racist". The Guardian. 18 July 2018.
  189. ^ "I was right to confront Jeremy Corbyn over Labour's antisemitism | Margaret Hodge". The Guardian. 18 July 2018.
  190. ^ "Labour ends action against Margaret Hodge in antisemitism row". The Guardian. 6 August 2018.
  191. ^ Finkelstein, Daniel (30 April 2019). "Corbyn's praise for deeply antisemitic book" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  192. ^ a b Marsh, Sarah; Stewart, Heather (1 May 2019). "Jewish leaders demand explanation over Corbyn book foreword". The Guardian. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  193. ^ "Pride, prejudice and a problem that struck at Corbyn's core". The Times.
  194. ^ a b Maguire, Patrick; Pogrund, Gabriel (2020). Left Out: The Inside Story of Labour Under Corbyn. The Bodley Head. p. 120.
  195. ^ Boycott-Owen, Mason (11 June 2021). "Jewish MP was not hounded out of Labour Party, says Jeremy Corbyn". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on 11 January 2022.
  196. ^ Harpin, Lee. "Corbyn tells Cambridge Union: Luciana Berger 'was not hounded out' of Labour". jewishnews.timesofisrael.com.
  197. ^ Sugarman, Daniel (13 September 2018). "More than 85 per cent of British Jews think Jeremy Corbyn is anti-Semitic". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 31 August 2020.
  198. ^ Wallis Simons, Jake (30 March 2021). "70% of Labour members still think the party has no problem with Jew hate and don't want Corbyn expelled". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
  199. ^ "UK public figures, writer John le Carré oppose Corbyn due to antisemitism". Jerusalem Post. 16 November 2019.
  200. ^ Mason, Rowena (14 November 2019). "Labour antisemitism row: public figures say they cannot vote for party under Corbyn". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Political_positions_of_Jeremy_Corbyn&oldid=1253528609"