Gordon Brown speaks out over anti-Semitism row

Gordon Brown has spoken out against anti-Semitism by vowing to “fight and fight and fight again” against prejudice against Jews.

In an emotive speech, which was otherwise focussed on appealing to left-leaning voters to vote to stay in the EU, Brown issued a stinging condemnation of anti-Jewish discrimination following a series of rows in the Labour Party and the subsequent suspension of Ken Livingstone.

Brown opened his speech at the Fabian summer conference by saying: “I will fight and fight and fight again against anti-Semitism in this country”.

His words evoked the legendary address by Hugh Gaitskell to Labour conference in 1960 when he said opposed a motion supporting unilateral nuclear disarmament by saying: “There are some of us who will fight, and fight, and fight again, to save the party we love.”

Brown’s intervention today was a clear reference to the claims of anti-Semitism which are currently being investigated by barrister Shami Chakrabarti, whose report is due to be completed by July 1.

Brown also condemned the “terrible, disgraceful” campaign run by the Tories in their doomed attempt to win the London mayoralty for Zac Goldsmith.