JEREMY Corbyn’s campaign said they have reported a man they claim is a Labour activist to the police over an alleged assault on a member of their team.
A female member of the former Labour leader’s team, which is now running his campaign to be elected as an independent, said she was approached by a rival party activist outside the Tufnell Park Tavern in Islington, north London on Thursday.
She claimed to have been “punched” in the chest by a “50-something-year old” man “twice my size”.
The National has been told the man were filming a group of Corbyn canvassers. A source said: “He stayed there and intimidated us for over half a hour.
READ MORE: Anas Sarwar says Labour candidate lied with claim party 'helped Tories'
“I asked him to stop filming and blocked the view of his camera with my outstretched palm. I didn’t touch him. He then punched me in the chest, which is why someone called the police.”
The man is said to have arrived shortly before 11am and stuck the candidate around 11.15am. The source said the man refused to leave until just before midday.
Jewish News reporter Lee Harpin, who is a fierce critic of Corbyn, reported a counterclaim from the Labour campaign.
He said that a member of Corbyn’s team was “facing allegations of common assault and attempted mobile phone theft after allegedly approaching an elderly Labour activist”.
Harpin, who was named in the Prince Harry phone hacking case as the “dauphin of phone hacking,” claimed the Corbyn campaigner was “allegedly repeatedly harassing” the Labour activist at which point he “pushed her away after she attempted to take his phone”.
READ MORE: Democrats mull replacing Joe Biden after disastrous Donald Trump debate
Corbyn is running for re-election in Islington North, the constituency he has represented since 1983, against the party he led between 2015 and 2020.
Labour leader Keir Starmer (above) suspended Corbyn from the parliamentary party for claiming reports of antisemitism under his leadership were overstated for political reasons.
He was booted from Labour, the party he had joined nearly 60 years ago, earlier this year when he announced he was running as an independent.
A Met Police spokesperson said: “Police were called at around 13:13hrs on Thursday, June 27 to a report of an assault on Tufnell Park Road, N7.
“Officers spoke to the victim who reported she had been handing out leaflets when she was approached by a member of the public and punched. Enquiries remain ongoing. No arrests have been made.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel