A leading MP has written to the Charity Commission calling for a statutory inquiry into the National Union of Students and its trustees regarding allegations of antisemitism.

Robert Halfon, chair of the education select committee, said he was “particularly concerned about antisemitic events that have taken place within the NUS over the past several years – and which comes following decades of concerning trends”.

Mr Halfon made the request jointly with the Campaign Against Antimsemitism (CAA), a charity that seeks to fight hatred against British Jews, and compiled a dossier setting out the claims.

The MP highlighted “one of the most alarming recent incidents” in the dossier, involving a rapper said to have a “track record” of making statements that are in violation of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, who had been invited to perform at an NUS centenary event.

Mr Halfon said that prompted media scrutiny and the rapper eventually withdrew, although “not before the NUS reportedly told Jewish students that they could remove themselves from the event and find an “existing safe space for students who do not like loud noise'” during the performance.

The Tory MP said this was “emblematic of a wider problem within the NUS” and that there were “serious failings that need to be addressed as a matter of urgency”.

He added: “The NUS has allowed a culture of discrimination and harassment against Jewish students to brew, to the point where they suggested Jewish students segregate themselves from an event – the very opposite of inclusion”.

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The NUS is not itself a charity and Mr Halfon’s letter cited the charity number of the NUS Students’ Union Charitable Services, which is responsible for supporting the development of students’ unions throughout the country.

The NUS said: “NUS is taking antisemitism allegations seriously. There is no place for antisemitism within the student movement.

“We have unreservedly apologised for the concern and worry caused in recent weeks, and are working to address any wrongdoing and rebuild trust.

“The board are meeting to instigate our robust internal procedures including considering appointing an independent external party to support with this.

“If we find that action needs to be taken we won’t hesitate to take it, as we have previously.”

It comes after universities minister Michelle Donelan said she was considering measures including suspending the NUS “from all engagement with government… unless they take immediate steps to regain the confidence of Jewish students”.

Ms Donelan cited a claim that there were previous suggestions that Jewish students should be “segregated”, a claim which the NUS says is untrue.

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