Matt Stadlen's Very Personal Reason Why Anti-Semitism Matters

31 March 2018, 16:23 | Updated: 31 March 2018, 16:39

Jeremy Corbyn calls himself an "ally" in the fight against anti-Semitism in the wake of the ongoing row within the Labour Party. Matt Stadlen gives a very personal reason why tackling the issue really matters.

Speaking in a video shared to Twitter, the Labour leader said: "I am committed to ensuring the Labour Party is a welcoming and secure place for Jewish people.

"It is easy to denounce antisemitism when you see it in other countries, in other political movements.

"It is sometimes harder to see it when it is closer to home."

Matt Stadlen gave a very personal story about his grandfather, who walked up and down a street in Nazi Germany with a hat that he believed made him look more Jewish so he didn't escape the fate of his fellow Jews.

He said: "He decided once a week, to put on that hat and walk up and down that street to make sure he had every bit as much an opportunity to be beaten up by Nazi's as other Jews.

Matt said: "I've always felt that if it ever comes to the crunch that in this country, or elsewhere in the world, I will be in the trenches on behalf of other jews.

"Because it matters that we say no to this sort of vile racism that resulted 70 years ago in the deaths of 6 million people.

"And if it is felt that the leader of the Labour Party, the party I have been very close to in my life, is not doing enough about it then I really think it's time for change.

"We don't want to live in a country where the evils and the ugliness of anti-Semitism rear their head once again."