Jewish Caller Tells Maajid Nawaz He Would Emigrate If Corbyn Elected

3 November 2019, 16:38

A Jewish caller told Maajid Nawaz that he would close his business and leave the UK if Jeremy Corbyn were to become Prime Minister because of anti-Semitism.

David, from Hendon, said: "I will leave the country as soon as Corbyn comes in, God forbid that he should.

"I will not stay in a country where anti-Semitism is now accepted because I think, brilliantly, he and his PR people just didn't answer really, just deflected old accusations.

Now people are fed up with hearing the word so it's almost as if it's accepted and whether that's the case or people are actually anti-Semitic in this country... I hope not but I'm beginning to have my doubts."

He also explained that he would shut down his business of 53 people.

He said: "I will leave, I will close down all of my businesses which I can. I've been nervous of this, I'm in the position where I'll be able to close them down.

"These people won't be employed anymore and that's fine. I'm looking after myself and I'm sure people, some of your viewers or listeners will be saying 'good riddance, let's get rid of the guy'.

But there are hundreds of people like me, and not all of them are Jewish, there are hundreds of wealthy people who have built up businesses who know that in the end Mr. Corbyn will take it all away from us because he doesn't appreciate people who work hard."

Maajid responded: "David, can I beseech you and anyone else listening to you that may agree with you that this is your country, you belong here, those racists do not belong here.

"We've defeated fascists already in World War Two, this is a country that never succumb to fascism.

"I beseech you to take solace in that and also to take solace in the fact that you have many friends in this country that will stand by you and fight your corner. But we do need to stay and fight.

"So I know I'm not going to change your mind by telling you this, but I do want to at least reassure you that you're not alone and that there are people in this country that will, until their last breath, make sure that we never sink down that cesspit of despair and division that is anti-Semitism.

"For me that's the canary in the coal mine, the minute our Jewish cousins start getting picked on in this way tells me that we're in a very bad place as a country and we've been there before and we all know how that turned out.

So I don't think the solution is to leave the country."

David told Maajid about some of the reasons why he, as a Jew, is so fearful in this country.

He said: "I go to synagogue, I have to have armed guards. I go to the Jewish store, I have to have guards outside. My kids and grandchildren go to school, they have guards.

"Where is the support system here? Where is where is this outcry of people who are on outside? They're not there.

They may be very quiet but they're so silent that the people who are making the noise are these loonies and these horrible people.|

Maajid explained how he was aware of how the increase in anti-semitism in the UK and he has seen the protection needed in the community but wants to "lift that veil of confusion" in the Labour Party.