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Labour wrong to question credibility of antisemitism whistleblowers, says Tom Watson – live news Labour wrong to question credibility of antisemitism whistleblowers, says Tom Watson – live news
(32 minutes later)
For the record, here is Labour’s official response to the Panorama programme, released last night after it was broadcast. Here’s an extract.
We completely reject any claim that Labour is antisemitic. We stand in solidarity with Jewish people, and we’re taking decisive action to root out antisemitism from our movement and society.
The Panorama programme was not a fair or balanced investigation. It was a seriously inaccurate, politically one-sided polemic, which breached basic journalistic standards, invented quotes and edited emails to change their meaning. It was an overtly biased intervention by the BBC in party political controversy.
Here is the statement that the UK’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, issued after last night’s Panorama programme about antisemitism in the Labour party. “This is no longer a question of the leadership’s inability to deal with the scourge of antisemitism, but of its direct complicity in it,” he says.
The Chief Rabbi reacts to the revelations in this evening’s #Panorama: “This is no longer a question of the leadership’s inability to deal with the scourge of Antisemitism, but of its direct complicity in it.” pic.twitter.com/lEInytC6YG
In his Today interview Tom Watson also said that he thought Jeremy Corbyn was the “only one” who could fix the antisemitism issue in Labour. Asked if he thought Corbyn could fix this problem, Watson replied:
Not only do I think [Corbyn] can fix it, I think he is the only one who can fix it. And if he adopts some of the proposals that I’m making [see 9.27am] then these rule changes will go through our party.
It won’t be enough to rebuild trust with the Jewish community but it will be a start of trying to challenge a culture of permissiveness that allows anti-Jewish racism to be casually used in political discussion within one of the two great parties in the United Kingdom.
We have got an urgent question in the Commons on the resignation of Kim Darroch at 10.30am.
One UQ at 1030 from @patmcfaddenmp to ask @Jeremy_Hunt on the resignation of the UK’s ambassador to the United States
Yesterday we started the morning with a former Conservative party leader and prime minister, Sir John Major, saying that he could take legal action against the man likely to be the next party leader and PM, Boris Johnson, over proroguing parliament. The Tory party is clearly not a happy ship. But Labour is also extraordinarily divided, and we saw that this morning when the Today programme 8.10 slot was devoted to Tom Watson, the deputy leader, launching a whole series of complaints about how the party is dealing with antisemitism under its leader, Jeremy Corbyn.Yesterday we started the morning with a former Conservative party leader and prime minister, Sir John Major, saying that he could take legal action against the man likely to be the next party leader and PM, Boris Johnson, over proroguing parliament. The Tory party is clearly not a happy ship. But Labour is also extraordinarily divided, and we saw that this morning when the Today programme 8.10 slot was devoted to Tom Watson, the deputy leader, launching a whole series of complaints about how the party is dealing with antisemitism under its leader, Jeremy Corbyn.
The interview was triggered by the reporting in last night’s hour-long Panorama documentary about Labour and antisemitism. Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker’s story about the programme is here.The interview was triggered by the reporting in last night’s hour-long Panorama documentary about Labour and antisemitism. Jessica Elgot and Peter Walker’s story about the programme is here.
Labour bosses accused of undermining fight against antisemitismLabour bosses accused of undermining fight against antisemitism
This is a long-running and highly contentious issue not least because allegations of antisemitism are inextricably entwined with two other themes. The first is anti-Israelism. Corbyn and his circle are undoubtedly anti-Israel, and a lot of this debate is really about at what point hostility towards the state of Israel becomes antisemitism. (At some point it certainly feels like antisemitism to Jews.) You could call this anti-Zionism, but that is not a particularly helpful term because Zionism means different things to different people. And the second is anti-Corbynism. There is an undoubted overlap between those in Labour who speak out most against the party’s record on antisemitism and those who are critical of Corbyn generally, but that does not mean their complaints are contrived or insincere. For some, the antisemitism issue helps to explain their anti-Corbynism.This is a long-running and highly contentious issue not least because allegations of antisemitism are inextricably entwined with two other themes. The first is anti-Israelism. Corbyn and his circle are undoubtedly anti-Israel, and a lot of this debate is really about at what point hostility towards the state of Israel becomes antisemitism. (At some point it certainly feels like antisemitism to Jews.) You could call this anti-Zionism, but that is not a particularly helpful term because Zionism means different things to different people. And the second is anti-Corbynism. There is an undoubted overlap between those in Labour who speak out most against the party’s record on antisemitism and those who are critical of Corbyn generally, but that does not mean their complaints are contrived or insincere. For some, the antisemitism issue helps to explain their anti-Corbynism.
Here are the main points from Tom Watson’s interview.Here are the main points from Tom Watson’s interview.
Watson strongly criticised his own party for dismissing the former staffers who spoke out in the Panorama programme as “disaffected” ex-employees with “axes to grind”. Watson said that claim was “false”. He went on:Watson strongly criticised his own party for dismissing the former staffers who spoke out in the Panorama programme as “disaffected” ex-employees with “axes to grind”. Watson said that claim was “false”. He went on:
I deplore the statement that was made about those people last night. You couldn’t fail to be saddened and moved by the testimony, particularly of the young members who’d had racist abuse in party meetings and on social media. And there was an array of young and old former members of staff from different wings of the party who I think showed great courage to speak out in the way they did ... To speak out about the party they love must have taken a great act of courage and to dismiss their testimony as in some way flawed I think was wrong.I deplore the statement that was made about those people last night. You couldn’t fail to be saddened and moved by the testimony, particularly of the young members who’d had racist abuse in party meetings and on social media. And there was an array of young and old former members of staff from different wings of the party who I think showed great courage to speak out in the way they did ... To speak out about the party they love must have taken a great act of courage and to dismiss their testimony as in some way flawed I think was wrong.
In a statement issued late yesterday afternoon the Labour press office, which like the rest of the party machinery is under the control of the Corbyn faction in the party, not people like Watson, said:In a statement issued late yesterday afternoon the Labour press office, which like the rest of the party machinery is under the control of the Corbyn faction in the party, not people like Watson, said:
It appears these disaffected former officials include those who have always opposed Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, worked to actively undermine it, and have both personal and political axes to grind. This throws into doubt their credibility as sources.It appears these disaffected former officials include those who have always opposed Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, worked to actively undermine it, and have both personal and political axes to grind. This throws into doubt their credibility as sources.
Interestingly, the long statement issued by the party press office after the Panorama was broadcast did not repeat this criticism of the interviewees.Interestingly, the long statement issued by the party press office after the Panorama was broadcast did not repeat this criticism of the interviewees.
Watson complained there was a perception of “almost a permissive culture” towards antisemitism in the party. He said:Watson complained there was a perception of “almost a permissive culture” towards antisemitism in the party. He said:
In the last four years, since Jeremy and I were elected leader and deputy leader of the party, there is a growing belief that there is a sickness in our party, that this kind of abuse has been in some way allowed. That there’s almost a permissive culture that people can use anti-Jewish, racist language both in our meetings and to each other on social media and we’ve failed to address that properly.In the last four years, since Jeremy and I were elected leader and deputy leader of the party, there is a growing belief that there is a sickness in our party, that this kind of abuse has been in some way allowed. That there’s almost a permissive culture that people can use anti-Jewish, racist language both in our meetings and to each other on social media and we’ve failed to address that properly.
Watson called for a rule change to “auto-exclude” party members against whom there was a prima facie case to answer about using antisemitic language or behaviour. He said:Watson called for a rule change to “auto-exclude” party members against whom there was a prima facie case to answer about using antisemitic language or behaviour. He said:
I think we need to change the way we investigate these systems.I think we need to change the way we investigate these systems.
Not casting aspersions on the current people, but I think we need to take these cases away from them and have a full, independent system of investigating cases of anti-Jewish racism that involves representatives from the Jewish community of Britain of standing...Not casting aspersions on the current people, but I think we need to take these cases away from them and have a full, independent system of investigating cases of anti-Jewish racism that involves representatives from the Jewish community of Britain of standing...
I think we need a rule change - and this has been argued by others like Keir Starmer [here] and Gordon Brown - that allows us to auto-exclude from the membership people who have a prima facie case to answer of using antisemitic behaviours and language within our own structures.I think we need a rule change - and this has been argued by others like Keir Starmer [here] and Gordon Brown - that allows us to auto-exclude from the membership people who have a prima facie case to answer of using antisemitic behaviours and language within our own structures.
Here is the agenda for the day.Here is the agenda for the day.
9.30am: Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, takes questions in the Commons.9.30am: Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
10am: A new report on sexual intimidation and bullying of staff working in the House of Commons is published.10am: A new report on sexual intimidation and bullying of staff working in the House of Commons is published.
11am: Mark Carney, the Bank of England governor, holds a press conference following the publication of the bank’s financial stability report. My colleague Graeme Wearden will be covering it on his business live blog.11am: Mark Carney, the Bank of England governor, holds a press conference following the publication of the bank’s financial stability report. My colleague Graeme Wearden will be covering it on his business live blog.
As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary at lunchtime and then another when I finish.As usual, I will be covering breaking political news as it happens, as well as bringing you the best reaction, comment and analysis from the web. I plan to publish a summary at lunchtime and then another when I finish.
You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads.You can read all the latest Guardian politics articles here. Here is the Politico Europe roundup of this morning’s political news. And here is the PoliticsHome list of today’s top 10 must-reads.
If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.If you want to follow me or contact me on Twitter, I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.I try to monitor the comments below the line (BTL) but it is impossible to read them all. If you have a direct question, do include “Andrew” in it somewhere and I’m more likely to find it. I do try to answer questions, and if they are of general interest, I will post the question and reply above the line (ATL), although I can’t promise to do this for everyone.
If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter.If you want to attract my attention quickly, it is probably better to use Twitter.