Jeremy Corbyn’s national anthem silence will have caused offence, says shadow cabinet MP

Jeremy Corbyn did not sing during a service at St Paul's Cathedral in London to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain
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Joe Murphy @JoeMurphyLondon16 September 2015
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Jeremy Corbyn’s authority was openly challenged today by shadow cabinet members, with one saying his refusal to sing the national anthem “will have offended and hurt people”.

The rebuke from Kate Green — newly promoted shadow cabinet member for women and equalities — came hours after the party’s work and pensions spokesman contradicted Mr Corbyn on a key benefits policy and called his stance “foolhardy”.

The Labour leader dismissed as “tittle-tattle” the media furore over his decision to stand in silence during the national anthem at a Battle of Britain anniversary service yesterday.

But Ms Green chastised him, saying it would have been “respectful” to join in with the singing at St Paul’s Cathedral. Of his refusal, she said: “It will have offended and hurt people.”

She told BBC radio: “Jeremy absolutely stands with and respects everybody who has fought, who has lost their life, been wounded in fighting oppressions and defending our freedoms.

“For many people, the monarchy, singing the national anthem is a way of showing that respect.

“I think it would have been appropriate and right and respectful of people’s feelings to have done so.”

Lord West, who served as security minister under Gordon Brown, said it was “extraordinary” for a would-be prime minister to snub the anthem.

Asked how the military reacted, the former Falklands naval commander said: “I think they will be offended, and a large number of people in this country will be offended by it.

“I think extraordinary is the right word but they will be offended by it as well and ... that should have been thought through.”

He made clear he would quit the Labour benches in the House of Lords if Mr Corbyn pushed through defence policies he could not support.

He said he has “no intentions” of leaving the party’s benches, but added: “I need to see what policies are coming out regarding defence.”

On Twitter, Mr Corbyn brushed off the row, saying: “We haven’t got time for tittle-tattle. People are suffering in this country — and we have work to do.”

His team issued a statement saying he had unleashed a “mass movement” that had “transformed the political landscape”, adding: “And yet the mainstream media just want to engage in tittle-tattle. It’s demeaning to the debate we have started.” However, a serious faultline opened in his ranks over his speech to the TUC yesterday, in which he declared outright opposition to the Government’s benefits cap, which limits the amount individuals can claim in welfare support to £26,000.

Mr Corbyn told the unions the cap amounted to “social cleansing” and went on: “As far as I am concerned, the amendments we are putting forward are to remove the whole idea of the benefit cap altogether.” But Owen Smith, new shadow secretary for work and pensions, told Newsnight that Labour was only opposing Government plans to reduce the benefits cap from £26,000 to £23,000.

He said it would be “foolhardy” for the party to “set our face unthinkingly” against a policy that had public support. “I think the truth is we still must support overall reductions in welfare spending. I think we have also got to have limits on what individuals and individual families can draw down.

“Can I be clear — our policy is to oppose the Welfare Bill which includes the reduction from £26,000 to £23,000 on the benefit cap for individual households.” Ms Green later attempted to reconcile the differences over the benefits cap by saying: “It’s not the current policy of the Labour Party but it is something Jeremy feels very strongly about.”

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