George Galloway has described a Labour MP’s decision to leave the party because of anti-Semitism as a “black op” fuelled by “Goebbellian propaganda” to “slander” Jeremy Corbyn.
Appearing on Sky News on Wednesday morning the former MP launched an extraordinary attack against the media, and suggested MP Luciana Berger lied about the reasons she joined the new Independent Group.
Berger was among seven Labour MPs who on Monday announced their resignations citing, among other things, the “scourge of anti-Semitism” in the party since Corbyn became leader.
Referencing the Nazi’s minister for propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, he said: “I think with the Blairites walking out the door hurling their slander at Corbyn and the Labour leadership it’s really a black op that’s going on here.
“I’ve been listening to [Sky News] and others all morning and this is pure Goebbellian propaganda – repeat a lie often enough and some people might believe it.”
Galloway, former MP for Bradford, hosts shows on Russian state-backed channels such as Sputnik. A recent ruling from Ofcom found one of his broadcasts breached UK rules in a segment about the poisoning of Sergei Skripal.
In 2014 it was revealed Galloway, while still serving as an MP, had earned £65,000 in just six months from his appearances on Kremlin-backed RT and from LBP TV, a channel run out of the offices of Press TV, an Iranian channel which is now banned by Ofcom.
On Wednesday, Galloway was pulled up by the Sky News host who asked if it was appropriate that he used the phrase “Goebbellian propaganda” when talking about Berger’s decision.
He said: “I don’t believe she’s leaving because of anti-Semitism, I believe you want people to believe that and the Goebbels is [Sky News] and The Times and the other organs that are pumping out this foul slander against the Labour Party, knowing that it’s untrue.”
On Monday, Berger opened a press conference by saying: “I cannot remain in a party which I have come to the sickening conclusion is institutionally anti-Semitic.”
Galloway also hosts a show on Talk Radio which is owned by Rupert Murdoch – the same person that owns The Times and Sky News.