As the quip has it, where there's smoke there's sometimes a fire. But sometimes there's a smoke machine.

That you are convinced there is no anti-Semitism is not enough, Jim. I know quite a few people who normally votes Labour and have no connection whatever with any Jewish relatives, neighbours etc, but were still reluctant to vote Labour in the last election because of the anti-Semitism charges.

In the end, the only people who can declare Labour 'free from smoke' are those who raised the smoke alarm. Starmer knows that, so it was right that he raised the issue in his acceptance speech and vowed to sort it.