Keir Starmer has attacked Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of staff who blew the whistle on alleged widespread anti-Semitism within Labour, accusing the leader"s office of turning on its own party. Speaking at a Labour leadership hustings on Wednesday night hosted by the Jewish Labour Movement, Sir Keir accused Mr Corbyn of “turning on” the whistleblowers and said the former officials should receive an apology and financial settlement. Sir Keir said he had told Mr Corbyn it was wrong for the party to have put out a statement disputing the motives of the former officials who spoke to the BBC’s Panorama programme. The former staff member had told the programme that the leader’s office interfered directly in the complaints process and the experience had left them in despair. In response to their complaints, Labour criticised the programme and released a statement saying: “It appears these disaffected former officials include those who have always opposed Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, worked to actively undermine it and have both personal and political axes to grind. This throws into doubt their credibility as sources.” Two of the former staff later decided to take legal action against the party for libel. Speaking at a hustings, Sir Keir said: “I remember that programme well and being shocked by the response that was put out… I remember what I said to Jeremy. "I said I’ve never been in an organisation that turns on its staff before, ever. Because what message do you think that sends not just to the ex-staff but current staff who speak out. "They will be branded disloyal. I think it was utterly wrong that statement was put out and I said that directly the next morning.” He said as a former director of public prosecutions he abided by the rule that “the leader of the organisation carries the can, stands up for what goes wrong and takes responsibility”. Sir Keir’s position was supported by Lisa Nandy who said: “We’ve got to do more than just settle… they are brave and they were accused of being disloyal. "But what is more disloyal than not standing up for our Labour values? I would do more than just settle. I will make the Labour party a place that values and celebrates that sort of action.” Rebecca Long-Bailey also said she would apologise to those staff members and settle the legal action. And Emily Thornberry said there had been a “culture of bullying” that had developed towards Labour staff, and criticised the redundancy notices issued to “footsoldiers” in contrast to senior staff who had kept their jobs. Nominations for the Labour leadership end at midnight on Friday. Sir Keir, Ms Long-Bailey and Ms Nandy are all through to the next round of membership voting but Ms Thornberry is still a few endorsements short of the 33 needed to make the final ballot. All the deputy leadership contenders – Angela Rayner, Dawn Butler, Richard Burgon, Rosena Allin-Khan and Ian Murray – are through to the next round. Members and supporters will begin voting from February 21, with the next Labour leader set to be announced on April 4.