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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/mar/29/labour-is-waiting-for-corbyn-to-sign-off-key-antisemitism-measure
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| Labour denies it is sitting on key antisemitism measure | Labour denies it is sitting on key antisemitism measure |
| (7 months later) | |
| Labour’s leadership has denied that it is sitting on one of the key recommendations made in the Chakrabarti report on tackling antisemitism in the party. | Labour’s leadership has denied that it is sitting on one of the key recommendations made in the Chakrabarti report on tackling antisemitism in the party. |
| According to a progress chart prepared for the party’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) by the outgoing senior team at the party’s Southside headquarters and seen by the Guardian, the job description for an in-house lawyer who would deal with antisemitism allegations is waiting to be signed off by Jeremy Corbyn. | According to a progress chart prepared for the party’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) by the outgoing senior team at the party’s Southside headquarters and seen by the Guardian, the job description for an in-house lawyer who would deal with antisemitism allegations is waiting to be signed off by Jeremy Corbyn. |
| The apparent hold-up has emerged as sources confirmed that Christine Shawcroft, who resigned on Wednesday night as chair of the disciplinary panel, will no longer sit on the committee overhauling the procedure for dealing with complaints of antisemitism. She will also would stand down from the national executive in June when new elections are held. | The apparent hold-up has emerged as sources confirmed that Christine Shawcroft, who resigned on Wednesday night as chair of the disciplinary panel, will no longer sit on the committee overhauling the procedure for dealing with complaints of antisemitism. She will also would stand down from the national executive in June when new elections are held. |
| The leadership has insisted that it has been pressing hard for the implementation of the report. In a BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview on Thursday morning, John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, implied that the party’s former general secretary Iain McNicol, rather than Corbyn, was to blame for Labour’s failure to introduce measures to tackle the problem. | The leadership has insisted that it has been pressing hard for the implementation of the report. In a BBC Radio 4 Today programme interview on Thursday morning, John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor, implied that the party’s former general secretary Iain McNicol, rather than Corbyn, was to blame for Labour’s failure to introduce measures to tackle the problem. |
| McDonnell said: “We are bringing forward mechanisms. They should have been implemented ages ago, but they will be now under a new general secretary.” | McDonnell said: “We are bringing forward mechanisms. They should have been implemented ages ago, but they will be now under a new general secretary.” |
| A Labour source later denied that any one individual was being blamed. They said: “He made the point that, under the direction of the new general secretary, the party must redouble its efforts in taking on the scourge of antisemitism.” | A Labour source later denied that any one individual was being blamed. They said: “He made the point that, under the direction of the new general secretary, the party must redouble its efforts in taking on the scourge of antisemitism.” |
| Several members of the party’s NEC were understood to be angry about McNicol being implicated, pointing out that Jennie Formby, the new general secretary, had backed Shawcroft’s appointment to the disciplinary role. They suggested that the process of dealing with complaints of antisemitism had been held up by “misplaced loyalty” to the hard left as well as incompetence. | Several members of the party’s NEC were understood to be angry about McNicol being implicated, pointing out that Jennie Formby, the new general secretary, had backed Shawcroft’s appointment to the disciplinary role. They suggested that the process of dealing with complaints of antisemitism had been held up by “misplaced loyalty” to the hard left as well as incompetence. |
| One source close to the NEC said: “It’s disingenuous to blame this situation on the outgoing management. The power of the general secretary to suspend members and undertake disciplinary action was removed by the Chakrabarti report. | One source close to the NEC said: “It’s disingenuous to blame this situation on the outgoing management. The power of the general secretary to suspend members and undertake disciplinary action was removed by the Chakrabarti report. |
| “Having to wait for explicit approval from the NEC, which only meets every two months, has helped create the backlog of investigations. It was Formby who as an NEC member voted for Shawcroft to chair the committee that deals with these matters.” | “Having to wait for explicit approval from the NEC, which only meets every two months, has helped create the backlog of investigations. It was Formby who as an NEC member voted for Shawcroft to chair the committee that deals with these matters.” |
| Shawcroft was forced to resign as chair of the party’s disputes panel after emails emerged from her questioning the suspension of a Holocaust denier from the party. While she remains a member of the NEC, however, she will still be entitled to advise on disciplinary hearings. | Shawcroft was forced to resign as chair of the party’s disputes panel after emails emerged from her questioning the suspension of a Holocaust denier from the party. While she remains a member of the NEC, however, she will still be entitled to advise on disciplinary hearings. |
| Corbyn emailed the party’s 550,000 members, pledging zero tolerance for antisemitism: “Prejudice against, and harassment of, Jewish people have no place whatsoever in our party,” he said. | Corbyn emailed the party’s 550,000 members, pledging zero tolerance for antisemitism: “Prejudice against, and harassment of, Jewish people have no place whatsoever in our party,” he said. |
| Some MPs and party activists are shocked that Shawcroft, who is a director of Momentum, will stay on the NEC. Ian Austin, the MP for Dudley, said “Never mind resigning from the disputes panel, she should be referred to it.” | Some MPs and party activists are shocked that Shawcroft, who is a director of Momentum, will stay on the NEC. Ian Austin, the MP for Dudley, said “Never mind resigning from the disputes panel, she should be referred to it.” |
| Louise Ellman, the long-serving Liverpool Riverside MP, said Corbyn must take responsibility. “He should call on her to do the right thing, and step down,” she said. “But I doubt that he will.” | Louise Ellman, the long-serving Liverpool Riverside MP, said Corbyn must take responsibility. “He should call on her to do the right thing, and step down,” she said. “But I doubt that he will.” |
| Johanna Baxter, who is a former member of the NEC, tweeted: “I sat across the NEC table from Christine for 6 yrs – sadly this is not unusual behaviour from her. I hope our @jeremycorbyn and @JennieUnite deal with it quickly. Stepping down as Chair of Disputes is not sufficient. Ignorance is no excuse.” | Johanna Baxter, who is a former member of the NEC, tweeted: “I sat across the NEC table from Christine for 6 yrs – sadly this is not unusual behaviour from her. I hope our @jeremycorbyn and @JennieUnite deal with it quickly. Stepping down as Chair of Disputes is not sufficient. Ignorance is no excuse.” |
| The process of appointing more party staff to the regions to speed up responses to complaints and allegations of racism has also been delayed, it has emerged. An advertisement for a dozen extra staff was taken down, which Labour sources said was because it had not been signed off. The jobs have not yet been advertised. | The process of appointing more party staff to the regions to speed up responses to complaints and allegations of racism has also been delayed, it has emerged. An advertisement for a dozen extra staff was taken down, which Labour sources said was because it had not been signed off. The jobs have not yet been advertised. |
| Peterborough Labour councillors had been complaining about the suspended candidate Alan Bull’s Facebook posts since he was selected last July. It took more than six months, and national publicity for the party to act. | Peterborough Labour councillors had been complaining about the suspended candidate Alan Bull’s Facebook posts since he was selected last July. It took more than six months, and national publicity for the party to act. |
| On Wednesday night Shawcroft said she was “wrong and misguided” to have sent an email calling for Bull’s suspension to be lifted as she had not been aware of all the information in the case. | On Wednesday night Shawcroft said she was “wrong and misguided” to have sent an email calling for Bull’s suspension to be lifted as she had not been aware of all the information in the case. |
| Bull was accused of sharing an article on Facebook headlined “International Red Cross report confirms the Holocaust of 6m Jews is a hoax”, illustrated with a photograph of the gates of the Auschwitz concentration camp. | Bull was accused of sharing an article on Facebook headlined “International Red Cross report confirms the Holocaust of 6m Jews is a hoax”, illustrated with a photograph of the gates of the Auschwitz concentration camp. |
| Some MPs criticised the way the new general secretary was being made responsible for a problem that they feel starts at the top. Austin said: “The only person who can sort this out is Jeremy Corbyn. He’s got to show real leadership.” | Some MPs criticised the way the new general secretary was being made responsible for a problem that they feel starts at the top. Austin said: “The only person who can sort this out is Jeremy Corbyn. He’s got to show real leadership.” |
| Austin said expelling Ken Livingstone, who has been indefinitely suspended, and Jackie Walker, the former vice chair of Momentum, were minimum first steps. “He’s got to show he’s taking it seriously, commit the resources to dealing with the backlog and tell his supporters that it is unacceptable.” | Austin said expelling Ken Livingstone, who has been indefinitely suspended, and Jackie Walker, the former vice chair of Momentum, were minimum first steps. “He’s got to show he’s taking it seriously, commit the resources to dealing with the backlog and tell his supporters that it is unacceptable.” |
| The aftermath of Monday night’s protest, which was organised by Jewish community groups against antisemitism in Labour, has revived tensions in the party that had been dormant since the better than expected election result last June. | The aftermath of Monday night’s protest, which was organised by Jewish community groups against antisemitism in Labour, has revived tensions in the party that had been dormant since the better than expected election result last June. |
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