Appalling double standard as Labour NEC member Peter Willsman let off disciplinary charges despite tirade accusing Jewish “Trump fanatics” of “making up” antisemitism

A member of the Labour Party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), who was let off disciplinary proceedings, has been revealed in a secret recording published by The JC to have yelled wild accusations about claims of antisemitism in the Labour Party at an NEC meeting.

Mr Willsman, who is one of the NEC members responsible for the Labour Party’s repeated rejections of the International Definition of Antisemitism, shouted that he would not be “lectured” by Jewish “Trump fanatics”. He also demanded in what sounded like a barely-contained fit of rage that “we should ask these 70 rabbis, where is your evidence of severe and widespread antisemitism in this Party”, referring to the 68 rabbis who jointly signed an unprecedented cross-denominational letter demanding that the Labour Party adopt the definition.

The recording begins with Mr Willsman ending a sentence: “They can falsify social media very easily.” He then continued, his voice rising until he was shouting loudly: “And some of these people in the Jewish community support Trump. They are Trump fanatics, and all the rest of it, so I am not going to be lectured to by Trump fanatics making up half the information without any evidence at all, so I think we should ask these 70 rabbis, where is your evidence of severe and widespread antisemitism in this Party?”

Continuing in an enraged shout, Mr Willsman continued: “And let me ask you, let me ask you a question. How many people in this room have seen antisemitism in the Labour Party? Put your hands up? One. Two. You’ve seen antisemitism in the Labour Party? Well I’m amazed. I’ve certainly never seen it.”

It is abundantly clear from the venom with which Mr Willsman spoke that he should have no input whatsoever into decisions about antisemitism in the Party.

Furthermore, he should be expelled from the Labour Party for his appalling tirade accusing the Jewish community and its rabbinic leadership of conspiring to falsify or exaggerate antisemitism allegations.

Instead of investigating Mr Willsman, he has been exonerated by the Labour Party’s General Secretary, Jennie Formby, who was reportedly satisfied with an apology. He is now standing for reelection to the NEC along with various other candidates, including some who have defended Ken Livingstone.

The exoneration of Mr Willsman lies in stark contrast to the treatment of Labour MPs Dame Margaret Hodge and Ian Austin, both of whom are being investigated in a purge-like disciplinary process for challenging antisemitism in the Party.

The Labour leadership’s decision to forgive and forget Mr Willsman’s disgraceful tirade against British Jews and its determination to press ahead with the purge of MPs who have challenged antisemitism in the Party is yet further evidence that a government led by the Labour Party in its current state would be an existential threat to British Jewry.