UK: New Labor party head says will tear out anti-Semitism 'poison'

Sir Keir Starmer, the new leader of UK's main opposition Labour party, apologized to the Jewish community for the "stain" of anti-Semitism within its ranks.

In a statement issued after his victory was announced Saturday, Starmer pledged to take on the problem and root it out.

"I will tear out this poison by its roots and judge success by the return of Jewish members and those who felt that they could no longer support us," he said.

Earlier in April, the Jewish Chronicle, one of the oldest Jewish newspapers in the world, reported that Starmer was planning to go for a major re-shuffle among the party higher-ups in a bid to tackle the issue of anti-Semitism.

Anti-Semitism in Labour became a major issue under his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, who saw a string of Jewish lawmakers walk out under his tenure.

Corbyn announced he would give up his position at the helm of the party in December after Labour suffered one of its worst defeats on record, allowing the Boris Johnson-led Conservatives to gain control over the House of Commons.

Johnson, currently quarantined after having contracted COVID-19 coronavirus, has invited opposition leaders to join the government's work on handling the health crisis.