Jim Sheridan who accused Jewish community and “their Blairite plotters” of undermining Labour promoted to deputy leader of Renfrewshire Labour

Labour Councillor, Jim Sheridan, who accused the Jewish community and “their blairite [sic] plotters” of undermining Labour has reportedly been promoted to deputy leader of Labour on Renfrewshire Council near Glasgow in Scotland.

Cllr Sheridan was also the Labour member for Renfrewshire West from 2001 to 2005 and for Paisley and Renfrewshire North between 2005 and 2015. He will now sit as a Labour representative on the Scottish National Party (SNP) run council’s Leadership Board.

On 17th August 2018, Cllr Sheridan posted on his Facebook page, but subsequently deleted: “For almost all my adult life I have had the utmost respect and empathy for the Jewish community and their historic suffering. No longer due to what they and their blairite [sic] plotters are doing to my party and the long suffering people of Britain who need a radical Labour government.”

On 18th August 2018, it was reported that, following a complaint, he had been suspended by the Labour Party for his post, pending investigation by the Party.

Cllr Sheridan’s suspension was reportedly lifted on 25th January this year. No explanation was given as to how the decision to do so had been reached. Cllr Sheridan made a statement in which he reaffirmed his conviction in his position, saying: “Whilst I am delighted with this decision, I remain of the view that my accusers were misguided and overreacted to what was intended to highlight my personal frustration and criticism of those intent on undermining our leadership in Scotland and the UK.”

Aside from a period of suspension, we do not know whether disciplinary action was taken by the Labour Party against Cllr Sheridan.

Cllr Sheridan told the Paisley Daily Express that he was “honoured” with his new position. He said: “I’m looking forward to it. It’s another challenge. I’m hoping to fulfil the role to its expectations. I’m quite honoured that the group voted for me and felt I was capable.”

The Labour group leader Eddie Devine said that Cllr Sheridan had been the unanimous choice of the group’s AGM.

On 28th May, the Equality and Human Rights Commission launched a full statutory investigation following a formal referral and detailed legal representations from Campaign Against Antisemitism, which is the complainant.

In recent months, eleven MPs have resigned from the Labour Party over antisemitism, along with a large number of MEPs, councillors and members.

Over 55,000 people have now signed our petition denouncing Jeremy Corbyn as an antisemite and declaring him “unfit to hold any public office.”