Leave Jez alone!

Jez's furious face

Today's by all objective standards disastrous appearance by Jeremy Corbyn at the House of Commons Inquiry into antisemitism has really upset his fans. Chief target of their ire at time of writing is Chuka Umunna. For one precious snowflake Umunna has no right to question the Dear Leader cos Chuka likes dance music, bling and partying and therefore isn't a 'man of the people'. As we all know only people who sign their own apples can be 'the people's friend'.

I was live tweeting this massive facepalm of an event, so this is a 'highlights' (shouldn't that be lowlights - Ed) package. Missed something? Tell me (nicely in the comments).

Asked if he had witnessed antisemitism in the Party he had seen some thirty years ago but nothing else until very recently. And then very little, emphasis on the little.

Jackie Walker comments 'inappropriate.'

By question two it was clear he was going to give evasive answers and, as Jack Mendel noticed, 'process' answers:

Corbyn is completely and utterly obsessed with process. As long as the procedure is OK, everything's OK. Even if result isn't

— Jack Mendel (@Mendelpol) July 4, 2016

Also by question two he was getting visibly angry.

Most of what Vaz put, which was taken from recent press clippings, I thought, to Corbyn is the reason why Jez has avoided proper interviews for nine months.

Lie Number One

Corbyn is lying. A lot of Steven Sizer's activism involves working with the Iranian Government, not Palestinians

— Arieh Kovler (@ariehkovler) July 4, 2016

This happened again, and again, and again ...

It's like s nervous twitch. Corbyn physically can't say anti-Semitism without adding 'and other forms of racism'

— Jack Mendel (@Mendelpol) July 4, 2016

... and should be a meme of Dead Ringers.

Lie Number Two

Corbyn now defending Paul Flynn MP questioning whether a Jew could be UK ambassador to Israel. Also lying on what Flynn said.

He then said something about meeting Israeli government and/or politicians. Has he? This day after being found out for having no appointment with UK Israel Ambassador when claiming he had.

Will you accept invite from Israel Labour Party? Angry Corbyn: 'I've been to Israel nine times!'

(Via Arieh): "what will happen if people do use these [racist terms]?" Corbyn: "what will happen is they'll be told they can't use them"

(Via Rob Marchant): Corbyn says hopes Chakrabarti report will "create a debate". Because that's really going to solve Labour's anti-Semitism problem.

Does Corbyn not know that Marc Wadsworth has been expelled?

One of the Tory MPs to Corbyn: 'Let's just ease up on blaming the media!'

Lie Number Three

Corbyn just lied to Parliament. Said he didn't attend Paul Eisen's events since he became a Holocaust Denier. Straight lie

— Arieh Kovler (@ariehkovler) July 4, 2016

More on Corbyn and Eisen from Bob From Brockley here.

Corbyn told by pro-Palestinian Labour MP David Winnick 'when I attend conferences I check out who's speaking, who's organising'.  No answer from Corbyn.

Asked about his brother Piers' comments, missed answer but is on record saying Piers is 'not wrong'.

Corbyn claims he's *just, this afternoon, left a message with MP Ruth Smeeth.

#Corbyn said he of course support a demo against anti-Semitism....... And any other form of racism #SpeakLikeCorbyn

— Jack Mendel (@Mendelpol) July 4, 2016

Lie Number Four

In a smirking response to questioning on his 'friends' comments about Hamas he says 'interesting was only brought to my attention years later'. Plenty complained at the time. So he's either lying or stupid.

Edit to add: Definitely lying.

Corbyn now umming on whether Hamas Charter is anti-Semitic. Eventually: 'Yes, it is BUT ...'

Keith Vaz complains about Corbyn being passed notes.

Shami Chakrabarti is supposed to be the chair of an independent inquiry. Why is she acting like she's Corbyn's press officer.

— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) July 4, 2016

A furious Chuka Umunna is now pulling him up for standing by when his supporters bully. Makes Corbyn angry.

Within an hour of Corbyn saying this his supporters online were ignoring him.

Hard to believe that Corbyn was “unaware” of Seamas’s outspoken support for Hamas.

— Tom Harris (@MrTCHarris) July 4, 2016

When Corbyn is asked about slagging off Jonathan Freedland in the Vice documentary his snarky side comes out. *Wee glimpses of the real Corbyn*

OMFG Corbyn saying we 'need someone' to monitor anti-Semitic/racist incidents! Not heard of @CST_UK @TellMamaUK ?!?

(Jack Mendel): Corbyn asked if it's sad when Jews think there is one rule for them and another for others? Corbyn: There isn't. Facepalm...

(Yair Rosenberg): Jeremy Corbyn just insisted that Labour is a safe place for Jews by citing as evidence a fringe Jewish group that wants to boycott Israel. If you only welcome the tiny fraction of Jews who boycott the Jewish state, your party isn't really open to Jews.

(David Paxton): Corbyn's definition of antisemitism is not great. And even then he had to make it the instant equal of 'Islamophobia'. It's pathological.

Angry, fuming, snarky, evasive. We definitely got to see the Real Corbyn this afternoon, which makes this meme being tweeted out furiously by Momentum particularly funny.

And he lied. Which is contempt of parliament.

You can watch the whole thing here.