Owen Jones played a significant role in enabling the downfall of Jeremy Corbyn by failing to challenge the antisemitism smear campaign that was used as a political weapon against the Labour left. Despite positioning himself as a key figure on the British left, Jones consistently reinforced the false premise that Labour under Corbyn had a widespread antisemitism problem, rather than exposing the reality—that these allegations were largely manufactured to undermine a socialist leadership that threatened the political establishment.
Jones frequently claimed that Labour did have an antisemitism issue, even as he admitted it was being exploited for political ends. Instead of pushing back against the media’s relentless and dishonest attacks, he helped legitimise them by adopting their core argument: that Corbyn’s leadership had been negligent in tackling antisemitism. This served to disarm those defending Corbyn, as it validated a smear designed to destroy his credibility and leadership.
Former shadow cabinet member Chris Williamson explains that although Owen Jones is correct in his assessment of Keir Starmer and those propping him up, there can be no forgetting what went before:
THOUGHT FOR TODAY
— Chris Williamson (@DerbyChrisW) February 4, 2025
.@owenjonesjourno's is right to say the people behind Sir @Keir_Starmer are "political gangsters." But he failed to mention the role of the Israel lobby, who were the chief political assassins of the Corbyn movement. pic.twitter.com/9xZNKIiURd
His failure to unequivocally challenge the “antisemitism crisis” narrative helped embolden the right-wing elements within Labour, who were actively working to sabotage Corbyn’s chances of becoming Prime Minister. Jones’s insistence on “both-sides” analysis—acknowledging the weaponisation of antisemitism while also reinforcing the idea that it was a real and serious problem within Labour—meant that he ultimately contributed to the success of this attack.
In moments where Corbyn needed a strong defence from influential figures on the left, Jones was absent or, worse, complicit in amplifying his critics. While he later admitted that antisemitism allegations had been weaponised, this realisation came too late—by that time, Corbyn had already been politically destroyed. Jones’ role in this episode reveals a broader problem with a certain strand of the soft left: an unwillingness to take a firm stand when it truly matters, leading to the defeat of the very causes they claim to support.