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| Equality watchdog launches Labour anti-Semitism probe | Equality watchdog launches Labour anti-Semitism probe |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a formal investigation into the Labour Party over allegations of anti-Semitism. | The Equality and Human Rights Commission has launched a formal investigation into the Labour Party over allegations of anti-Semitism. |
| The watchdog told the party in March it had received a number of complaints and was considering its next steps. | The watchdog told the party in March it had received a number of complaints and was considering its next steps. |
| It will now formally look into whether Labour has "unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish". | It will now formally look into whether Labour has "unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish". |
| The party said it would co-operate fully with the investigation. | |
| But its spokesman said Labour "rejects any suggestion that the party does not handle ant-Semitism complaints fairly and robustly, or that the party has acted unlawfully". | |
| The party has been plagued by accusations of anti-Semitism since mid-2016. | |
| The leadership has been accused of tolerating a culture of anti-Jewish prejudice by a number of its own MPs, some of whom have quit the party in protest. | |
| Leader Jeremy Corbyn has insisted he is getting to grips with the issue and has beefed-up the party's internal disciplinary procedures. | |
| 'Woeful' | |
| In a statement, the EHCR said it had "carefully considered the response" it received about anti-Semitism complaints from the Labour Party and would carry out an investigation looking at: | |
| Mike Katz, chair of the Jewish Labour Movement, said: "For years we have been warning that the Labour Party's response to anti-Semitism within our ranks has been woeful at best, and institutionally racist at worst. | |
| "Last year we took the unprecedented step to refer the party to the EHRC, and we welcome their decision today to launch a full statutory inquiry." | |
| Labour MP Wes Streeting, who chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on anti-Semitism, called it a "day of great shame" for Labour. | |
| He said it was "a damning indictment on the failure of our leadership to respond to repeated warnings about the nature of our problem and what needs to be done to address it", adding: "Sunlight is the best disinfectant." | |
| A Labour spokesman said: "There has been a deeply worrying rise in anti-Semitism in the UK and across Europe. | |
| "We are taking action to root it out of our party by strengthening our rules and procedures. | |
| "But the issue can only be properly dealt with by all political parties working together to protect the interests of the Jewish community and to combat racism in politics, the media and in society more broadly." |