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Seventy Labour staffers give statements to antisemitism inquiry Seventy Labour staffers give statements to antisemitism inquiry
(about 4 hours later)
Testimonies by current and former party workers have been passed to EHRC, lawyer saysTestimonies by current and former party workers have been passed to EHRC, lawyer says
Scores of serving and former Labour officials have given sworn statements about antisemitism in the party as part of evidence submitted to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s investigation into the issue.Scores of serving and former Labour officials have given sworn statements about antisemitism in the party as part of evidence submitted to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s investigation into the issue.
James Libson, a lawyer representing the Jewish Labour Movement, confirmed he has prepared 70 testimonies from current and former staffers as part of the inquiry. James Libson, a lawyer representing the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), confirmed he had prepared 70 testimonies from current and former staffers as part of the inquiry.
One staff member was ordered to give details of complaints about antisemitism to Jeremy Corbyn’s office, despite Labour insistence that the office has not interfered, according to testimony seen by the Times. In the overarching submission from the JLM, there are detailed allegations of antisemitic abuse at party meetings and by members online, including:
Libson, a partner at the law firm Mishcon de Reya, said interference in cases had become institutional. One respondent who listed 22 examples of antisemitic abuse at party meetings where he was called “child killer”, “Zio scum”, and “Tory Jew” as well as being told “Hitler was right” and that he was “good with money”.
“Institutional in the sense that people affiliated with the leader’s office – and now in the actual unit that are investigating – and that at a more basic level, information is passing between the leader’s office and investigating unit,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme. Another who witnessed a comment at a ward meeting that “the only reason we have prostitutes in Seven Sisters is because of the Jews”.
A parliamentary candidate who described a councillor being told by a fellow member to go home and count their money after being deselected.
The submission also alleges political interference in the disciplinary process by Jeremy Corbyn’s office, despite Labour’s insistence that the leadership has not got involved.
In particular, it claims that any separation between the leader’s office and the party’s complaints unit broke down in August 2018 and a staffer was instructed via WhatsApp to upload complaints on to USB sticks for leader’s office employees to examine and make recommendations for future action.
The submission says it was a “frequent occurrence” for leader’s office staff to ask to be copied in on complaints and make recommendations on sanctions.
It also claims that a former employee from Corbyn’s office said a narrative had taken hold among staffers that complaints about antisemitism were part of a “Jewish conspiracy” against the leadership.
A Labour party spokeswoman strongly disputed the allegations, saying: “Any former staff would not know how our procedures currently work, after significant reforms, and former MPs’ staff or others who have not worked on disciplinary procedures would not have knowledge of those procedures or the numbers of cases. “This document includes baseless assumptions about current staff’s workload and the untrue allegations about outstanding cases. The Labour party is not institutionally antisemitic and complaints relate to a small minority of our members. “We have significantly reformed our procedures over the past year, including recently adopting a proposal by Jeremy Corbyn for rapid expulsions, which allows individuals to be expelled within a matter of weeks in open and shut cases.”
The party stressed that antisemitism was an “evil” that it was committed to rooting out, and said it was fully cooperating with the EHRC.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Libson, a partner at the law firm Mishcon de Reya, said interference in cases had become institutional.
“Institutional in the sense that people affiliated with the leader’s office – and now in the actual unit that are investigating – and that at a more basic level, information is passing between the leader’s office and investigating unit,” he said.
He added: “Passed by USB sticks, by WhatsApp groups, secret WhatsApp groups.”He added: “Passed by USB sticks, by WhatsApp groups, secret WhatsApp groups.”
When asked whether Corbyn’s assertion that every case of antisemitism had been dealt with was incorrect, Lisbon replied: “Very much so.”When asked whether Corbyn’s assertion that every case of antisemitism had been dealt with was incorrect, Lisbon replied: “Very much so.”
Libson added: “There are many, many outstanding complaints, many examples of interference and many examples of double standards in the way in which complaints are processed.” Libson said: “There are many, many outstanding complaints, many examples of interference and many examples of double standards in the way in which complaints are processed.”
Labour denies there is now any backlog of antisemitism complaints, but it has not released an updated figure for how many are ongoing.
Its case to the EHRC will be that no allegations amount to unlawful acts by the Labour party and there is therefore no basis for the claim that there could be a finding of institutional racism.
On Tuesday Corbyn apologised for antisemitic incidents that involved Labour members and said he was dealing with the issue.On Tuesday Corbyn apologised for antisemitic incidents that involved Labour members and said he was dealing with the issue.
“Obviously I’m very sorry for what has happened,” he after being asked to apologise directly in an interview on ITV’s This Morning programme.“Obviously I’m very sorry for what has happened,” he after being asked to apologise directly in an interview on ITV’s This Morning programme.
On Thursday, the shadow housing secretary, John Healey, insisted that Labour had “toughened up” its approach to tackling antisemitism. On Thursday the shadow housing secretary, John Healey, insisted Labour had “toughened up” its approach to tackling antisemitism.
He told Today: “Having been too slow and too weak at the start, the action being taken now has been toughened up. He told Today: “Having been too slow and too weak at the start, the action being taken now has been toughened up. An in-house lawyer, special appeal panels to deal with complaints, new fast-track expulsion powers that are being used. I’m confident that cases coming in are being dealt with and if they are coming in they will be dealt with.”
“An in-house lawyer, special appeal panels to deal with complaints, new fast-track expulsion powers that are being used. I’m confident that cases coming in are being dealt with and if they are coming in they will be dealt with.” Healey apologised to the Jewish community, who he said “feel let down” by the way Labour had handled cases of antisemitism in the party.
Healey apologised to the Jewish community who he said “feel let down” by the way the Labour has handled cases of antisemitism in the party.