-
If you've read the comments in full then I'd say you were being naive. She refers to Jews as a problem and likens Israeli policies to those of Hitler. The tone is very clear and these comments weren't made a decade ago when she was young and immature - it was 2014. I agree people have said a lot worse, but Labour were very clear that there was a zero tolerance policy being imposed. Corbyn then does nothing and Shah is subsequently suspended by the General Secretary. It's shambolic at best.
How could Corbyn have handled this anti-Semitism issue any worse? Labour MP makes vile anti-Semitic comments in 2014, gives weak apology, Corbyn says 'yeah don't worry about it - of course you can keep your job'. It takes a pasting from Cameron in PMQs on the issue for him/Labour to volte-face and suspend her. Why is he so unwilling to take any action? Clearly a huge problem in the party recognised by prominent Labour peers and Jewish leaders and yet it is only when over a barrel that Corbyn actually does anything.
Other points to note are that the statement on her suspension read that Corbyn agreed that she had been suspended by the general secretary. Why not Corbyn? Why not immediately as McDonnell had promised only a few weeks earlier in the cases where anti-Semitic behavior was uncovered? Comments from Labour like "We're saying she made remarks that she doesn't agree with" are just meaningless and pathetic, and clearly despite Labour's protestations Shah's earlier draft of her apology had been heavily edited to remove any references to the anti-Semitic, racist problem within the Party.
It's no wonder the Tories are laughing, they are in disarray over Europe, the NHS and other issues, yet it doesn't matter. Corbyn is so ineffectual it feels as if there is no Opposition at all.