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I'm shocked at the way my party's offending Jews, says Labour MP I'm shocked at the way my party's offending Jews, says Labour MP
(35 minutes later)
The second Labour MP to face disciplinary action after condemning the party’s policy on antisemitism has rejected the claim that he is motivated by opposition to Jeremy Corbyn.The second Labour MP to face disciplinary action after condemning the party’s policy on antisemitism has rejected the claim that he is motivated by opposition to Jeremy Corbyn.
Ian Austin, the MP for Dudley North, denied being abusive to the Labour chair, Ian Lavery, during a discussion in the Commons about the antisemitism policy just before the parliamentary recess.Ian Austin, the MP for Dudley North, denied being abusive to the Labour chair, Ian Lavery, during a discussion in the Commons about the antisemitism policy just before the parliamentary recess.
Several fellow MPs have expressed disquiet at the move against Austin, who received a letter from the party’s head office to tell him he was being investigated. Several MPsexpressed disquiet at the move against Austin, who received a letter from the party’s head office informing him he was being investigated.
It follows an identical letter sent to Margaret Hodge, who who was also told that she faces disciplinary action for abusive conduct, having called Corbyn a “racist and antisemite”. It followed an identical letter sent to Margaret Hodge, who was also told that she faced disciplinary action for abusive conduct, having called Corbyn a “racist and antisemite”.
The row form part of wider tensions over the decision by Labour’s national executive committee not to adopt into the party’s code of conduct the full text defining antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. In unprecedented joint front-page editorials, the three biggest Jewish newspapers in the UK said a Corbyn government would pose an “existential threat” to Jews. The conflicts are among wider tensions over the decision by Labour’s national executive committee not to have the party’s code of conduct contain the full text defining antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA).
In unprecedented joint front-page editorials, the three biggest Jewish newspapers in the UK said a Corbyn government would pose an “existential threat” to Jews.
This is a terrible and miserable state of affairs for everyoneThis is a terrible and miserable state of affairs for everyone
Austin told BBC Radio 4’s World this Weekend programme he had been animated when talking with Lavery: “It was a heated discussion, I accept that, but I didn’t scream abuse at anybody.” Austin told BBC Radio 4’s World this Weekend programme he had been animated when talking with Lavery. “It was a heated discussion, I accept that, but I didn’t scream abuse at anybody.” Austin, whose adoptive parents were Czech Jewish refugees, said he was aghast at the row over the code of conduct.
Austin, whose adoptive parents were Czech Jewish refugees, said he was aghast at the row over the code of conduct. The NEC adopted the definition given by the IHRA but not all 11 accompanying examples, arguing that under one of them legitimate criticism of Israel could be deemed antisemitic. The NEC adopted the definition given by the IHRA but not all of the 11 accompanying examples, arguing that under one of them legitimate criticism of Israel could be deemed antisemitic.
“I grew up listening to my dad telling me how he’d escaped from the Holocaust and how his mum and sisters were murdered in Treblinka, and that led to me joining the Labour party as a teenager, determined to fight racism,” Austin said. “I grew up listening to my dad telling me how he’d escaped from the Holocaust and how his mum and sisters were murdered in Treblinka, and that led to me joining the Labour party as a teenager, determined to fight racism,” Austin said. “I’m really shocked that a party’s that’s got a proud tradition throughout its entire existence of fighting racism has ended up causing such huge offence and distress to the Jewish community in Britain.”
“I’m really shocked that a party’s that’s got a proud tradition throughout its entire existence of fighting racism has ended up causing such huge offence and distress to the Jewish community in Britain.” The MP denied that his wider and longstanding criticisms of Corbyn were a motivation. “What do people think? That I’m so worried about his plans to nationalise the railways or something that I would invent all this stuff?”
The MP denied that his wider and longstanding criticisms of Corbyn were any motivation: “What do people think? That I’m so worried about his plans to nationalise the railways or something that I would invent all this stuff?”
The disciplinary moves against Austin prompted strong criticism from some other backbench Labour MPs.The disciplinary moves against Austin prompted strong criticism from some other backbench Labour MPs.
Wes Streeting, the Ilford North MP, told the Guardian: “The problem we have is that passions are running high, people are very upset that antisemitism is being allowed to fester – with active indifference to concerns from the Jewish community – and now two MPs who have been most prominent in calling it out are subject to disciplinary action.Wes Streeting, the Ilford North MP, told the Guardian: “The problem we have is that passions are running high, people are very upset that antisemitism is being allowed to fester – with active indifference to concerns from the Jewish community – and now two MPs who have been most prominent in calling it out are subject to disciplinary action.
“In a normal, functioning political party, this would have been resolved informally and effectively by the chief whip. Instead we have the party charging in like a bull in a china shop, when they should be focusing instead on repairing the enormous damage done by the NEC’s most recent decision. This is a terrible and miserable state of affairs for everyone.” “In a normal, functioning, political party, this would have been resolved informally and effectively by the chief whip. Instead we have the party charging in like a bull in a china shop, when they should be focusing instead on repairing the enormous damage done by the NEC’s most recent decision. This is a terrible and miserable state of affairs for everyone.”
Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary, said he hoped Austin’s case could be resolved with “an amicable outcome”, and a member of Corbyn’s front bench appeared to hint that he believed the NEC decision should be overturned. Richard Burgon, the shadow justice secretary, said he hoped Austin’s case could be resolved with an amicable outcome, and a member of Corbyn’s front bench appeared to hint that he believed the NEC decision should be overturned.
“I’m not going to condemn Ian Austin – I wasn’t there, I didn’t see what happened,” Burgon told the World this Weekend. “What we need to ensure is the people who disciplinary action is taken against are the small number in the party who have said or done antisemitic things, not those who have strong opinions about things we should all have strong opinions about. “I’m not going to condemn Ian Austin – I wasn’t there, I didn’t see what happened,” Burgon told the World this Weekend. “What we need to ensure is the people whom disciplinary action is taken against are the small number in the party who have said or done antisemitic things, not those who have strong opinions about things we should all have strong opinions about. What we need – and it’s the bottom line for me – is to arrive at a position which the Jewish community are comfortable with.”
“What we need – and it’s the bottom line for me – is to arrive at a position which the Jewish community are comfortable with.” Another Labour MP, who asked to not be named, said colleagues who had witnessed the interaction with Lavery “made it clear that [Austin] was in no way aggressive or abusive”.
Another Labour MP, who asked to not be named, said colleagues who had witnessed Austin’s interaction with Lavery “made it clear that Ian was in no way aggressive or abusive”.
They said: “I would defend to the death Ian’s right to speak truth to power within our party, and I would have this advice to our party leadership: when you’re in a hole, stop digging. Adopt the IHRA definition in its entirety, and stop the score-settling with hardworking MPs who are just standing up for what they believe in.”They said: “I would defend to the death Ian’s right to speak truth to power within our party, and I would have this advice to our party leadership: when you’re in a hole, stop digging. Adopt the IHRA definition in its entirety, and stop the score-settling with hardworking MPs who are just standing up for what they believe in.”
Other MPs expressed support for Austin in Twitter, including Siobhain McDoagh, Peter Kyle and Pat McFadden. Other MPs expressed support for Austin on Twitter, including Siobhain McDoagh, Peter Kyle and Pat McFadden.
A Labour party spokesman defended the action to investigate allegations of abusive behaviour among its members. “The Labour party takes all complaints extremely seriously,” he said. “These are fully investigated in line with party rules and procedures.”A Labour party spokesman defended the action to investigate allegations of abusive behaviour among its members. “The Labour party takes all complaints extremely seriously,” he said. “These are fully investigated in line with party rules and procedures.”
AntisemitismAntisemitism
LabourLabour
Jeremy CorbynJeremy Corbyn
Margaret HodgeMargaret Hodge
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