Jeremy Corbyn Reports GMB and Sky to Regulator Over Antisemitism ‘Smears’

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has made official complaints to the broadcast regulator Ofcom over “baseless” and “disgraceful” antisemitism claims aired on Sky News and ITV last week. 

During a discussion on antisemitism following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green, Sky’s Cathy Newman said to Labour peer Thangam Debbonaire: “The rot [of antisemitism] really started under the previous Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, didn’t it, in this country?”

Newman’s suggestion, made on the Cathy Newman Show on 29 April, appears to be that Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour party in 2015 marked the beginning of antisemitism in Britain, or that it became a far more serious problem after he was elected leader.

A spokesperson for Corbyn told Novara Media that he has written to Sky, calling Newman’s question an “outrageous, absurd and utterly baseless claim that is deeply harmful to Mr. Corbyn’s reputation”. 

Corbyn’s spokesperson said it was “disgraceful” because the implication that antisemitism “started” in 2015 downplays the historic reality of antisemitism in Britain and disregards thousands of victims who have been subject to antisemitic hatred for decades.

A day later, on 30 April, former Tory minister and now Reform UK member Nadine Dorries made a similar claim on ITV’s breakfast show Good Morning Britain (GMB). 

Reacting to the attack on two Jewish Londoners, Dorries said: “This door to antisemitism was opened by former leader of the Labour party, Jeremy Corbyn.” Later in the show, host Kate Garraway told viewers that Corbyn has always denied allegations of antisemitism.

Corbyn’s office has requested a retraction and apology from both Sky and GMB, and made formal complaints to Ofcom over the comments. 

Corbyn’s spokesperson also wrote to GMB over Dorries’ comment. He told Novara Media: “This claim is quite obviously absurd, and has no basis in fact whatsoever. The show has a duty to challenge guests when they make these baseless claims. The hosts have a duty to ask them to provide evidence for their claims and, when that evidence is not provided, to withdraw them.”

A spokesperson for ITV told Novara Media that on Friday’s GMB show, Garraway stated: “On yesterday’s programme, one of our guests said that ‘the door to antisemitism was opened by Jeremy Corbyn’. That’s a direct quote. We want to make clear that Mr Corbyn has always denied claims of antisemitism.”

Jewish writer and former Corbyn comms director James Schneider told Novara Media: “I’m pleased Jeremy Corbyn is challenging a demonstrably false claim and political smear that does nothing to confront or reduce antisemitism.”

Schneider, who recently slammed calls for anti-genocide marches in solidarity with the Palestinian people to be banned over Jewish safety concerns on GMB, added: “The mobilisation of real Jewish fear and pain against those who oppose British foreign policy and support Palestinian rights is cynical and dangerous. It does not protect Jews. It feeds the antisemitic idea that Jewish safety is inseparable from support for Israel’s crimes.”

The broadcast regulator Ofcom stipulates via section seven of its code that broadcasters must “avoid unjust or unfair treatment of individuals or organisations in programmes”. It demands that “where it is appropriate to represent the views of a person or organisation that is not participating in the programme, this must be done in a fair manner”. Corbyn did not participate in either programme.

Section seven of Ofcom’s broadcasting code also states that a programme alleging wrongdoing or incompetence, or making other significant allegations, should normally give those concerned an appropriate and timely opportunity to respond. Corbyn’s spokesperson confirmed that neither programme reached out to him, to Corbyn or to Corbyn’s office.

A 45-year-old man has been charged with three counts of attempted murder in relation to the stabbing of two Jewish men in north London, which was formally declared a terrorist attack, and the stabbing of another man in southeast London on 29 April. 

The 2022 Forde Report – Martin Forde KC’s inquiry into racism and factionalism in the Labour party – concluded that the issue of antisemitism was weaponised against Corbyn by his opponents in the party. It found that senior Labour staff displayed “at times discriminatory attitudes” towards Corbyn – a lifelong anti-racist campaigner – and his supporters and that there was a “hierarchy of racism” in the party which ignored black and Asian people. 

Ofcom has the ability to shorten, suspend or revoke licenses of broadcasters that consistently breach its code. 

GMB is the most complained about TV programme in the last five years, according to Ofcom, and garnered 54,595 out of a total of 173,132 complaints made to the regulator in 2021. 

Sky and ITV have been approached for comment. 

5/05/26 15:00: This piece was amended to reflect that GMB received 54,595 complaints out of 173,123.