An internal Labour party pressure group has launched a campaign against anti-Semitism inside the party.

The campaign, launched by the centrist group Progress, includes an eight point plan to tackle discrimination. Progress' director Richard Angell believes the party has an issue with discrimination against Jewish people and called comments made by some party members "vile".

Angell said: "Anti-Semitism is in many ways the world's oldest hatred. The Jewish community have long been seen as the 'canary in the mine'. Before it is too late and Jews no longer feel at home in the Labour party it is time for action."

He continued: "Worse still, when it does rear its ugly head it does not attract the condemnation that racism towards Jews deserves. Too often there is prevarication and excuses. Hedging and explaining. From some, it seems they cannot condemn instances of anti-Semitism without condemning instances of Islamophobia at the same time.

"Both have to be mentioned in the same sentence if anti-Semitism is to be mentioned at all. The same is not true when it is the other way around. Both are wrong whether they happen together or independently."

The party's Oxford University Labour Club is currently under an investigation over alleged anti-Semitic behaviour by some of its members.

Angell has warned the party's leadership "to act fast" or the Jewish community will give up on the party.