Today, as Labour Party is mandated by law to introduce semi-independent disciplinary process, CAA resubmits complaints against fifteen sitting Labour MPs including Angela Rayner
Today is a key monitoring date and sign-off point in the Labour Party’s Action Plan agreed with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). The Action Plan came in the wake of the EHRC’s finding that Labour had unlawfully discriminated against Jewish people following an investigation in which Campaign Against Antisemitism was the complainant.
Under the Action Plan, it is required today that “An independent process is up and running and will be used to determine 100% of applicable antisemitism complaints,” save for cases already at the adjudication stage under the existing system.
Last year, on the day that the EHRC published its report, Campaign Against Antisemitism submitted complaints against fifteen sitting MPs, including former Leader Jeremy Corbyn and current Deputy Leader Angela Rayner, as well as Diane Abbott, Tahir Ali, Mike Amesbury, Apsana Begum, Richard Burgon, Barry Gardiner, Kate Hollern, Afzal Khan, Rebecca Long Bailey, Steve Reed, Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Barry Sheerman and Zarah Sultana, as well as other officeholders and candidates.
Although Mr Corbyn sits as an independent MP, he nevertheless absurdly remains a member of the Labour Party – after he was rapidly readmitted following his brief suspension – and therefore subject to its disciplinary processes. On 18th November 2020, we submitted a further complaint about Mr Corbyn over his personal responsibility for the Party being found guilty of unlawful acts of antisemitism, for which he must be held to account.
We asked that our complaints not be investigated until an independent process is introduced. At Party conference in September of this year, Labour endorsed a proposed semi-independent disciplinary process, and today the Party is required to have it up and running.
In the year since they were submitted, none of our complaints have been acknowledged, let alone investigated, therefore we resubmit them today with the expectation that a timeframe for their investigation be provided and that an efficient, fair and transparent investigation be conducted.
Joe Glasman, Head of Political and Government Investigations at Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Addressing antisemitism in the Labour Party and making it safe for Jews depends on delivering justice for the years of discrimination and pain that the Party continues to cause for the Jewish community in Britain. That must include investigating those MPs who have been culpable in promoting or excusing racism towards Jews or belittling allegations of antisemitism as ‘smears’, which the EHRC recognised was central to the unlawful victimisation of Jews by the Party.
“The Party has not even acknowledged our complaints of one year ago, let alone investigated them. As of today, the Party is required to have introduced a semi-independent disciplinary process to handle antisemitism complaints. We have therefore resubmitted our complaints against fifteen sitting MPs and expect them to be investigated efficiently, fairly and transparently.”
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.
