IT was another bad day for Jeremy Corbyn yesterday after the Chief Rabbi accused the beleaguered politician of making anti-Semitic remarks at the launch of a probe into anti-Semitism in the Labour party.

Corbyn’s critics claimed he compared the government of Binyamin Netanyahu in Israel to Daesh, the so-called Islamic State, a claim his supporters reject.

The controversy came after Corbyn said: “Our Jewish friends are no more responsible for the actions of Israel or the Netanyahu government than our Muslim friends are for those of various self-styled Islamic states or organisations.”

His supporters insisted he had been wilfully misinterpreted and he was clearly referring to “states of an Islamic character”, with his spokesman giving the examples of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iran or Hamas in Gaza.

However, Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks said the remarks were outrageous: “Jeremy Corbyn’s comparison of the State of Israel to ISIS is demonisation of the highest order, an outrage and unacceptable. That this occurred at the launch of the report into the Labour Party’s recent troubles with anti-semitism shows how deep the sickness is in parts of the left of British politics.”

When Corbyn was asked later if he was comparing Israel to Daesh he replied: “No, no of course I’m not. The point in the report is that you shouldn’t say to somebody just because they’re Jewish, you must have an opinion on Israel. Any more than you say to anyone who is a Muslim you must have an opinion on any vile action that’s been taken by misquoting the good name of Islam. I just ask people to be respectful and inclusive in their debate.”

The report was commissioned after MP Naz Shah and former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone were suspended from the party for making anti-Semitic remarks.

Shami Chakrabarti who is chairing the inquiry said there was clear evidence of “ignorant attitudes” in the party, though it is wrong to say Labour was overrun by anti-Semitism. The report makes 20 recommendations, including not using Hitler, Nazi and Holocaust metaphors, distortions and comparisons in debates about Israel-Palestine in particular.

Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth said she was forced to leave the report launch after “anti-Semitic slurs” were directed against her by a supporter of Corbyn’s.

Smeeth said she was accused of colluding with the Daily Telegraph after she confronted someone handing out leaflets urging Labour branches to deselect un-loyal MPs.

“It is beyond belief that someone could come to the launch of a report on anti-Semitism in the Labour Party and espouse such vile conspiracy theories about Jewish people, which were ironically highlighted as such in Ms Chakrabarti’s report, while the leader of my own party stood by and did absolutely nothing,” she said.

Labour said the allegations were being taken very seriously.

It came as Corbyn was expecting a challenge to his leadership from MP Angela Eagle, who resigned from the shadow cabinet this week. Sources close to the former business secretary suggested she was holding off until today or early next week, but she does have the 50 signatures necessary to mount a challenge.

There were reports late on Wednesday night that Corbyn himself is said to be keen to stand down, but the team around him are insisting he stays on for the sake of the movement he has built and to make sure that the legacy of a left wing campaigning force continues.

Corbyn was hit by another resignation as Rob Marris resigned from his role in the shadow Treasury team during the committee stage hearings on the Finance Bill.

Last night 13 Labour MSPs, including Johan Lamont, Jackie Baillie and Iain Gray signed a letter calling on Corbyn to go. It followed another letter in support of the left winger signed by deputy Scottish leader Alex Rowley, Neil Findlay and Richard Leonard.

Scottish Labour Young Socialists and Campaign For Socialism – Momentum Scotland are hosting a pro-Corbyn event in Glasgow on Sunday at 2pm at the STUC headquarters on Woodlands Road.