– Mr Speaker, "Time is running out" on climate change.
That's what the Environment Secretary said yesterday.
So why did the all-party Environmental Committee
accuse the government of “coasting” on climate change?
The Government has a fine record on climate change,
including our recent legislation on net zero emissions,
but there is an issue that needs to be addressed
in this House.
And before the right honourable Gentleman stands up
and parades himself as the champion of climate change,
or the champion of the people or the defender of equality
and fairness, he needs to apologise for his failure
to deal with racism in the Labour party.
[MPs heckling]
Just today, just today, just today,
60 distinguished members of the Labour party
have written in the newspapers:
'The Labour party welcomes everyone*…(*except, it seems, Jews)
This is your legacy Mr Corbyn ... You still haven’t opened your eyes ...
You still haven’t told the whole truth…
You still haven’t accepted your responsibility ...
You have failed ... the test of leadership.'
Apologise now.
– Jeremy Corbyn.
– Mr Speaker, this party was the first to introduce anti-racist legislation
into law in Britain.
This party totally opposes racism in any form whatsoever.
Antisemitism has no place in our society, no place
in any of our parties and no place in any of our dialogue.
Neither does any other form of racism.
And when 60% of Tory party members think Islam
is a threat to western civilisation and the prime minister has said
she will act on Islamophobia within her own party.
I hope she does. I look forward to seeing
that being dealt with, as we will deal with any racism
that occurs within our own party as well.
– But the right honourable Gentleman, I note,
did not apologise, in response to my first questions.
We deal with Islamophobia in the Conservative party.
Any allegations of Islamophobia are dealt with, unlike his way
in the Labour party where he is failing to deal
with antisemitism.
And he can stand up and say all he likes about
the Labour party introducing anti-racism legislation.
Just last week, Trevor Phillips, the former chairman
of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, said the following:
“Labour today presents like a textbook case
of institutional racism.”
– Jeremy Corbyn.
– Mr Speaker, this party opposes racism in any form
whatsoever in our society.
And coming from a prime minister who encouraged
the hostile environment, sent “go home” vans around London
and deported British citizens, which she's now has to
compensate them for, I think she might
look to her own party and her own government’s record as well.
– He talks about dodging responsibility.
The person who has been dodging his responsibility
during this PMQs is the right honourable Gentleman.
The real disgrace is his handling of racism in the Labour party.
Activists protesting, MPs leaving, staff resigning.
What would his great heroes of Attlee, Bevan and Benn think?
Look what he has done to their party.
We will never let him do it to our country.
[MPs cheer]