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| Labour members may be expelled over claims of antisemitism and bullying | Labour members may be expelled over claims of antisemitism and bullying |
| (7 months later) | |
| Momentum’s former vice-chair Jackie Walker has been formally referred to Labour’s highest disciplinary body for possible expulsion over comments she made about Holocaust Memorial Day. | Momentum’s former vice-chair Jackie Walker has been formally referred to Labour’s highest disciplinary body for possible expulsion over comments she made about Holocaust Memorial Day. |
| Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) also referred several other members who had been suspended from the party over the summer. Among those were: Paul Davis, the vice-chair of the local party in Wallasey, who was referred over allegations of bullying and intimidation during the leadership challenge by local MP Angela Eagle; and Marc Wadsworth, a party activist who, at the launch of a report into Labour and antisemitism, challenged Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth that she was working “hand in hand” with the media. | Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) also referred several other members who had been suspended from the party over the summer. Among those were: Paul Davis, the vice-chair of the local party in Wallasey, who was referred over allegations of bullying and intimidation during the leadership challenge by local MP Angela Eagle; and Marc Wadsworth, a party activist who, at the launch of a report into Labour and antisemitism, challenged Jewish Labour MP Ruth Smeeth that she was working “hand in hand” with the media. |
| Wadsworth said he had not known Smeeth was Jewish and had not intended to offend her at the event. | Wadsworth said he had not known Smeeth was Jewish and had not intended to offend her at the event. |
| All three will have their cases heard by Labour’s national constitutional committee, a quasi-judicial body which has the power to expel members from the party. People subject to the proceedings are allowed a defence barrister and all evidence is disclosed to both sides in the case. The committee must rule that offences have been committed “beyond reasonable doubt”. | All three will have their cases heard by Labour’s national constitutional committee, a quasi-judicial body which has the power to expel members from the party. People subject to the proceedings are allowed a defence barrister and all evidence is disclosed to both sides in the case. The committee must rule that offences have been committed “beyond reasonable doubt”. |
| The NEC held its disputes panel in London on Tuesday to consider the cases, and decided the allegations were serious enough to merit referral to the NCC. | The NEC held its disputes panel in London on Tuesday to consider the cases, and decided the allegations were serious enough to merit referral to the NCC. |
| Walker was suspended by Labour in September after she questioned why Holocaust Memorial Day did not recognise other genocides, even though the day is set up to commemorate other atrocities, including those in Rwanda and Bosnia. | Walker was suspended by Labour in September after she questioned why Holocaust Memorial Day did not recognise other genocides, even though the day is set up to commemorate other atrocities, including those in Rwanda and Bosnia. |
| After the video of her comments at a Labour conference training event appeared in the media, Walker said whoever leaked the footage “had malicious intent”, and that she was anti-Zionist, not antisemitic. | After the video of her comments at a Labour conference training event appeared in the media, Walker said whoever leaked the footage “had malicious intent”, and that she was anti-Zionist, not antisemitic. |
| Labour has been repeatedly blighted by charges that it has failed to tackle antisemitism in the party since Jeremy Corbyn became leader in 2015. Supporters of Corbyn, who has a long history of supporting Palestinians in their dispute with Israel, fear the issue is being used to undermine his leadership. | |
| Labour launches an inquiry into allegations of antisemitism and bullying after a fractious election of a youth representative to its ruling body. | |
| Labour expels far-left activist Gerry Downing, who had spoken of the need to “address the Jewish question”. | |
| Activist Vicki Kirby is suspended by the party for a second time over making alleged antisemitic tweets. She apparently suggested Adolf Hitler might be a “Zionist God” and that Jews had “big noses”. | |
| Labour suspends Khadim Hussain, a Labour councillor and former lord mayor of Bradford, after he shared a Facebook post that said “your school education system only tells you about Anne Frank and the 6 million Zionists that were killed by Hitler". He later quit the party. | |
| Naz Shah, the Labour MP for Bradford West, apologises for writing a series of antisemitic posts on Facebook including arguing for Israel’s population to be ‘transported’ out of the Middle East. She also resigns as PPS to John McDonnell and after sustained pressure is suspended from the party a day later. | |
| Labour suspends, but does not expel, former London mayor Ken Livingstone, after making offensive comments about Hitler supporting Zionism while defending Shah. | |
| A two-month inquiry by Shami Chakrabarti, ordered by Corbyn, urges Labour members to avoid abusive language and references to Hitler and Holocaust metaphors. It is criticised as being too soft on the issue and regarded as compromised because Chakrabarti had just accepted a peerage. | |
| Jackie Walker is removed as vice-chair of Momentum after criticising Holocaust Memorial Day but is allowed to remain on its steering committee. She was earlier suspended by the party for questioning why Holocaust Memorial Day did not recognise other genocides. | |
| The home affairs select committee accuses Labour of incompetence in dealing with antisemitism and helping to create a safe space for people with “vile attitudes towards Jewish people”. | |
| Livingstone again avoids expulsion from the party after a disciplinary panel rules he should be suspended for another year over comments about antisemitism, Hitler and Zionism. Britain’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis, accuses Labour of failing the Jewish community by not expelling Livingstone. | |
| Corbyn backs a party rule change, put forward by the Jewish Labour Movement, that takes tougher line on antisemitic abuse. | |
| Walker, who was removed from her position in Momentum, also said she was concerned about definitions of antisemitism used by the party, saying she had not seen a definition she could “work with”. | Walker, who was removed from her position in Momentum, also said she was concerned about definitions of antisemitism used by the party, saying she had not seen a definition she could “work with”. |
| The long-time activist had previously been suspended from the party after she wrote on Facebook that Jewish people had been “the chief financiers of the sugar and slave trade”. She was later reinstated. | The long-time activist had previously been suspended from the party after she wrote on Facebook that Jewish people had been “the chief financiers of the sugar and slave trade”. She was later reinstated. |
| Davis had challenged Eagle to take a lie detector test after the MP said homophobic abuse had been heard at a meeting of the local constituency Labour party during the leadership crisis over the summer. He denied allegations of bullying and intimidation in the Wallasey CLP, which was also suspended. | Davis had challenged Eagle to take a lie detector test after the MP said homophobic abuse had been heard at a meeting of the local constituency Labour party during the leadership crisis over the summer. He denied allegations of bullying and intimidation in the Wallasey CLP, which was also suspended. |
| During the fraught contest, a brick was thrown through the window of a building housing Eagle’s constituency office. | During the fraught contest, a brick was thrown through the window of a building housing Eagle’s constituency office. |
| On Tuesday, the NEC agreed steps would be taken to help lift Wallasey CLP’s suspension. New elections would be held for positions in the local party and all new officers would have to undergo equalities training and sign a pledge to abide by Labour party values. Meetings will be supervised by regional officers, and will only be permitted after the elections in May. | On Tuesday, the NEC agreed steps would be taken to help lift Wallasey CLP’s suspension. New elections would be held for positions in the local party and all new officers would have to undergo equalities training and sign a pledge to abide by Labour party values. Meetings will be supervised by regional officers, and will only be permitted after the elections in May. |
| A spokesperson for Eagle said the MP had represented the area for 25 years, joining the local Labour party when she was 16. “In all that time she has fought for Labour values and for Labour to be in power,” he said. | A spokesperson for Eagle said the MP had represented the area for 25 years, joining the local Labour party when she was 16. “In all that time she has fought for Labour values and for Labour to be in power,” he said. |
| “We cannot do that without effective campaigning CLPs that get behind their representatives in the council and in parliament. It is a matter of regret that Wallasey became a site of conflict. Angela takes no pleasure from any individual being referred to the party’s national constitutional committee.” | “We cannot do that without effective campaigning CLPs that get behind their representatives in the council and in parliament. It is a matter of regret that Wallasey became a site of conflict. Angela takes no pleasure from any individual being referred to the party’s national constitutional committee.” |
| Eagle’s spokesman said the charges against local members were “exceptionally serious and include witness intimidation, bullying and impugning the integrity of vulnerable witnesses.” | Eagle’s spokesman said the charges against local members were “exceptionally serious and include witness intimidation, bullying and impugning the integrity of vulnerable witnesses.” |
| The local party should now focus on fighting the Tories, the spokesman said, with the mayoral election in May and the possibility of a snap general election. “Angela will continue fighting the Tories’ cruel austerity, their strategy for Brexit that puts at risk local jobs and livelihoods and to defend our local NHS which is being threatened with £1bn in cuts,” the spokesman said. | The local party should now focus on fighting the Tories, the spokesman said, with the mayoral election in May and the possibility of a snap general election. “Angela will continue fighting the Tories’ cruel austerity, their strategy for Brexit that puts at risk local jobs and livelihoods and to defend our local NHS which is being threatened with £1bn in cuts,” the spokesman said. |
| Ken Livingstone, the former mayor of London who was suspended last summer for comments that Adolf Hitler had been a Zionist, was referred to the NCC earlier this year. A hearing has yet to take place. | Ken Livingstone, the former mayor of London who was suspended last summer for comments that Adolf Hitler had been a Zionist, was referred to the NCC earlier this year. A hearing has yet to take place. |
| • This article was amended on 8 March 2017 to expand a quotation. | • This article was amended on 8 March 2017 to expand a quotation. |