CAA to make submissions to Plaid Cymru after it announces review into antisemitism in its own ranks following publication of damning EHRC report into Labour

The Welsh nationalist party, Plaid Cymru, has announced that it is holding a review into antisemitism in its Party.

The announcement follows the publication of the damning report into antisemitism in the Labour Party by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant in the EHRC’s investigation, having made the formal referral that prompted the launch of the unprecedented full statutory investigation. 

Plaid Cymru’s internal review will reportedly be led by Liz Saville Roberts MP, the leader of the Party’s small contingent at Westminster, and it aims to ensure that there is “zero tolerance” of antisemitism in the Party.

However, the announcement comes shortly after the Party showed that it has no intention of actually tackling antisemitism after deciding not to take action against repeat offender and prospective Welsh Assembly candidate Sahar Al-Faifi.

Campaign Against Antisemitism has details of other concerns relating to antisemitism in Plaid Cymru, and intends to submit representations to the review.

Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price reportedly told BBC Wales: “I think this is a watershed moment, and I think no part of society is immune from it. The Welsh Labour Party is not immune from it, Plaid Cymru is not immune from it…It’s absolutely certain that we are seeing a rising tide of antisemitism, it’s endemic.” He added: “I can’t involve myself for the very good reasons set out in the EHRC report in individual disciplinary cases, but it is my responsibility to ensure our culture, our structures, our processes, do actually fulfil a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism and any other form of religious prejudice.” He also disclosed that Plaid Cymru election candidates are to undergo training on combating antisemitism.

Joe Glasman, Head of Political and Government Investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “We welcome Plaid Cymru’s announcement of a review into antisemitism in its ranks, in the wake of the EHRC’s damning report into anti-Jewish racism in the Labour Party, instigated after we referred Labour to the EHRC. Plaid Cymru has welcomed our offer of representations, including incidents involving Party members, and we shall make these submissions shortly.

“Plaid Cymru is making the right decision to try to get ahead of this problem, but it will have to show that it is serious. Its recent decision not to take action against repeat offender Sahar Al-Faifi certainly shows that it has work to do to win the confidence of anyone who opposes racism.”

The Labour Party was found by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to have engaged in unlawful discrimination and harassment of Jews. The report followed the EHRC’s investigation of the Labour Party in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant, submitting hundreds of pages of evidence and legal argument. Sir Keir Starmer called the publication of the report a “day of shame” for the Labour Party.

Campaign Against Antisemitism’s Antisemitism Barometer 2019 showed that antisemitism on the far-left of British politics has surpassed that of the far-right.

Campaign Against Antisemitism advocates for zero tolerance of antisemitism in public life. To that end we monitor all political parties and strive to ensure that any cases of concern are properly addressed.