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Labour 'must improve' battle against anti-Semitism Labour will get a grip on anti-Semitism, says Tom Watson
(about 1 hour later)
Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham has criticised his party for failing to deal effectively with allegations of anti-Semitism made against Labour. Labour deputy leader Tom Watson has said the party will "get a grip" on anti-Semitism following the suspension of Ken Livingstone on Thursday.
Mr Burnham said comments made by Ken Livingstone, claiming Hitler supported Zionism "before he went mad", were ill-advised, offensive and distasteful. Labour was considering changes to its rules to send "a clear signal" of its "zero tolerance" towards anti-Semitism.
Mr Livingstone was suspended by the party, a day after MP Naz Shah was suspended over comments on Facebook. Mr Livingstone was suspended after claiming Hitler supported Zionism "before he went mad",
Mr Burnham said comments were not dealt with properly and quickly enough. Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham said allegations must be dealt with "much more speedily in the future".
Leader Jeremy Corbyn has denied there is a crisis in the party on the issue. He told BBC One's Question Time on Thursday that he did not think the party was anti-Semitic but added: "These allegations, when they are surfacing, have not been dealt with properly and quickly enough"
The row exploded on Thursday after a radio interview that former London mayor Mr Livingstone did with BBC Radio London, defending Ms Shah, the party's MP for Bradford West. What's the difference between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism?
Analysis Who is Ken Livingstone?
By BBC Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg Yale professor: Livingstone's history errors
For years it has been more surprising when Ken Livingstone hasn't raised hackles than when he has. But Mr Watson told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Mr Corbyn did "act swiftly" to suspend his ally of 40 years, Mr Livingstone.
That's why so many Labour MPs feared a miscalculation when their party's leader brought his old comrade back into the fold. He said Mr Livingstone's comments were "vile" adding: "To link Hitler and Zionism in the way he did must have been designed to create offence." But he said it was for Labour's ruling National Executive Committee to decide whether to expel him from the party.
But his staggering comments yesterday about Hitler and anti-Semitism crossed a line - they were enough for Jeremy Corbyn to suspend him. In the meantime he said he and Mr Corbyn had been looking at whether "Labour's own structures" needed changing "to make sure that we send a very clear signal to people in our party that we will have a zero tolerance approach to anti-Semitism".
No-one believes that Jeremy Corbyn himself tolerates discrimination against Jews. It could include potential candidates and whether rules are robust enough, and widening Jan Royall's Commission into anti-Semitism on campus.
But on repeated occasions Labour has been slow and clumsy in closing down cases of anti-Semitism among its members when they emerge. "Do we need to change our rules to explicitly rule out racism and specifically include anti-Semitism in that?," he said.
Any doubts about the leadership's determination on the issue open the window a tiny crack to the kind of intolerance that the vast majority of the party, and indeed the public, find appalling. "We are going to deal with this. We will take a zero tolerance to anti-Semitism."
Public denials that there is even an issue could make it even worse. Perhaps in politics as in normal life, the first step towards fixing a problem is acknowledging that it exists. Former London mayor Mr Livingstone was suspended by the party, a day after MP Naz Shah was suspended over comments on Facebook.
And with only a week before Jeremy Corbyn's first big test at the polls, it's the kind of mess, and political distraction, Labour could do without. The row exploded on Thursday after a radio interview that Mr Livingstone did with BBC Radio London, defending Ms Shah, the party's MP for Bradford West.
In it he said: "When Hitler won his election in 1932 his policy then was that Jews should be moved to Israel. He was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews."In it he said: "When Hitler won his election in 1932 his policy then was that Jews should be moved to Israel. He was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews."
He was later confronted outside the BBC's Millbank studios by Labour MP John Mann who accused him of being a "Nazi apologist" in front of TV cameras. Other Labour MPs condemned Mr Livingstone's comments.He was later confronted outside the BBC's Millbank studios by Labour MP John Mann who accused him of being a "Nazi apologist" in front of TV cameras. Other Labour MPs condemned Mr Livingstone's comments.
The former London mayor was later suspended by his long-time ally, Mr Corbyn, who said there had been "grave concerns" about the language used.The former London mayor was later suspended by his long-time ally, Mr Corbyn, who said there had been "grave concerns" about the language used.
Mr Corbyn said: "Anybody that thinks this party is not cracking down on anti-Semitism is simply wrong. We have suspended where appropriate, we have investigated all cases. We will not tolerate anti-Semitism in any form whatsoever in the party."Mr Corbyn said: "Anybody that thinks this party is not cracking down on anti-Semitism is simply wrong. We have suspended where appropriate, we have investigated all cases. We will not tolerate anti-Semitism in any form whatsoever in the party."
Asked about the row on BBC One's Question Time, Mr Burnham - who stood against Mr Corbyn for the party leadership - said he did not believe the Labour Party was anti-Semitic. But Rachel Reeves former shadow cabinet member, told BBC Two's Newsnight there was a "growing problem of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party".
But he said that when allegations had surfaced they were "not being dealt with properly and quickly enough" and said they needed to be dealt with "much more speedily in the future".
Meanwhile, another senior Labour MP, Yvette Cooper, told Channel 4 News the party had been too slow to respond to complaints.
And Rachel Reeves, another former shadow cabinet member, told BBC Two's Newsnight there was a "growing problem of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party".
"Over the last few days and weeks we've seen more and more instances of people coming out with views which really have no place in the Labour Party. But also part of the problem is the slow response from the leadership of the party. We do need to see much swifter and more decisive action.""Over the last few days and weeks we've seen more and more instances of people coming out with views which really have no place in the Labour Party. But also part of the problem is the slow response from the leadership of the party. We do need to see much swifter and more decisive action."
There was also some criticism of the decision to reprimand John Mann - who was told it was "completely inappropriate for Labour Members of Parliament to be involved in very public rows on the television" by the chief whip.There was also some criticism of the decision to reprimand John Mann - who was told it was "completely inappropriate for Labour Members of Parliament to be involved in very public rows on the television" by the chief whip.
Ilford South Labour MP Mike Gapes said Mr Mann should have been "praised not criticised for his dedicated opposition to anti-Semitism".Ilford South Labour MP Mike Gapes said Mr Mann should have been "praised not criticised for his dedicated opposition to anti-Semitism".
On Wednesday Labour MP Naz Shah was suspended, pending an investigation, over comments she made on Facebook before she became an MP, including a suggestion that Israel should be moved to the United States.On Wednesday Labour MP Naz Shah was suspended, pending an investigation, over comments she made on Facebook before she became an MP, including a suggestion that Israel should be moved to the United States.
She has apologised but it has prompted claims from senior Labour figures that the party was not doing enough to tackle growing anti-Semitism in its ranks.She has apologised but it has prompted claims from senior Labour figures that the party was not doing enough to tackle growing anti-Semitism in its ranks.
Mr Corbyn has denied the party is in crisis, saying: "It's not a crisis. There's no crisis. Where there is any racism in the party it will be dealt with, it will be rooted out."Mr Corbyn has denied the party is in crisis, saying: "It's not a crisis. There's no crisis. Where there is any racism in the party it will be dealt with, it will be rooted out."
And Seema Malhotra, Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said Mr Livingstone's suspension had been a "defining moment" for the party.
"It is right that the Labour Party acted swiftly in suspending Ken Livingstone. Anti-Semitism is racism," she said.
"We know this is not an issue for one political party alone. But Labour can and must take a lead in seeking to stamp out rising levels of racism in all its forms."