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| Labour has taken too long to stamp out antisemitism, says Corbyn ally | Labour has taken too long to stamp out antisemitism, says Corbyn ally |
| (7 months later) | |
| Labour has taken too long to stamp out antisemitism in the party, a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn has said. | Labour has taken too long to stamp out antisemitism in the party, a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn has said. |
| The shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, said it was imperative for the party to urgently address the problem to ensure that the Jewish community felt welcome. | The shadow business secretary, Rebecca Long-Bailey, said it was imperative for the party to urgently address the problem to ensure that the Jewish community felt welcome. |
| 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 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 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”. | 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”. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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”. | 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. | 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. | Corbyn backs a party rule change, put forward by the Jewish Labour Movement, that takes tougher line on antisemitic abuse. |
| In an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: “Jeremy has always been a militant opponent of antisemitism, but too often the issue has been dismissed as a few bad apples when we need to take very serious root and branch action, to root out the cause of the problem.” | In an interview for BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, she said: “Jeremy has always been a militant opponent of antisemitism, but too often the issue has been dismissed as a few bad apples when we need to take very serious root and branch action, to root out the cause of the problem.” |
| Her comments came after some Labour MPs joined protesters outside parliament following claims from Jewish leaders that Corbyn had become a figurehead for antisemitism. | Her comments came after some Labour MPs joined protesters outside parliament following claims from Jewish leaders that Corbyn had become a figurehead for antisemitism. |
| Corbyn himself conceded that his party had failed to address the problem and issued his strongest apology yet over his 2012 backing of a graffiti artist behind an antisemitic mural. | Corbyn himself conceded that his party had failed to address the problem and issued his strongest apology yet over his 2012 backing of a graffiti artist behind an antisemitic mural. |
| Long-Bailey, a staunch supporter of Corbyn who is touted as a potential future party leader from the left, said it was “devastating to realise that the Jewish community had lost faith in our approach to antisemitism”. | Long-Bailey, a staunch supporter of Corbyn who is touted as a potential future party leader from the left, said it was “devastating to realise that the Jewish community had lost faith in our approach to antisemitism”. |
| Lord Levy, Labour’s former chief fundraiser, said he was considering leaving the party over the issue. Asked if he still felt at home in the party, he said: “I’m not sure. I put myself under the microscope continually because the provenance of Corbyn comes from a certain element of the left and they seem to be able to call the shots. If these people are antisemitic [and if] they do not believe in zero tolerance on antisemitism, they should not be part of this Labour party.” | Lord Levy, Labour’s former chief fundraiser, said he was considering leaving the party over the issue. Asked if he still felt at home in the party, he said: “I’m not sure. I put myself under the microscope continually because the provenance of Corbyn comes from a certain element of the left and they seem to be able to call the shots. If these people are antisemitic [and if] they do not believe in zero tolerance on antisemitism, they should not be part of this Labour party.” |
| Long-Bailey insisted Labour did take a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism but this had not been “enforced as effectively as it should have been”. | Long-Bailey insisted Labour did take a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism but this had not been “enforced as effectively as it should have been”. |
| She also called for faster implementation of recommendations made by Shami Chakrabarti in a report for Labour on allegations of antisemitism. | She also called for faster implementation of recommendations made by Shami Chakrabarti in a report for Labour on allegations of antisemitism. |
| She said: “There will be clear efforts now to roll out a political education programme specifically to make sure that every single person in the Labour party is aware of all forms of antisemitism ... to make sure nobody suffers in the way that they have done.” | She said: “There will be clear efforts now to roll out a political education programme specifically to make sure that every single person in the Labour party is aware of all forms of antisemitism ... to make sure nobody suffers in the way that they have done.” |
| Long-Bailey said she hoped Jewish leaders would help Labour to tackle the issue. “I would really welcome a meeting as urgently as possible between Jeremy and the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council because we have to work collaboratively on this,” she said. | Long-Bailey said she hoped Jewish leaders would help Labour to tackle the issue. “I would really welcome a meeting as urgently as possible between Jeremy and the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council because we have to work collaboratively on this,” she said. |
| On Corbyn’s comments about the mural, she said: “It was clearly an antisemitic mural, and Jeremy has apologised for not looking at it. We are all human unfortunately and it’s a lesson to us all to look clearly at the things we are supporting or commenting on on Facebook.” | On Corbyn’s comments about the mural, she said: “It was clearly an antisemitic mural, and Jeremy has apologised for not looking at it. We are all human unfortunately and it’s a lesson to us all to look clearly at the things we are supporting or commenting on on Facebook.” |
| Levy was reluctant to accept Corbyn’s apology. He said: “It is all well to say that he didn’t realise what was in it, I just don’t accept that. I think this is a man who does not have sensitivity to understanding where the community comes from and what the Jewish community stands for and believes in.” | Levy was reluctant to accept Corbyn’s apology. He said: “It is all well to say that he didn’t realise what was in it, I just don’t accept that. I think this is a man who does not have sensitivity to understanding where the community comes from and what the Jewish community stands for and believes in.” |
| On Monday night, the former Labour prime minister Tony Blair said he did not believe Corbyn was antisemitic but said there were people around the leader who “don’t really think this is a serious issue”. | On Monday night, the former Labour prime minister Tony Blair said he did not believe Corbyn was antisemitic but said there were people around the leader who “don’t really think this is a serious issue”. |
| He told BBC Two’s Newsnight: “I think up to now at least they haven’t really got it. I think they would be very wise to listen to what the Jewish community is saying today and act on it.” | He told BBC Two’s Newsnight: “I think up to now at least they haven’t really got it. I think they would be very wise to listen to what the Jewish community is saying today and act on it.” |
| Asked why action on the issue had taken so long, he replied: “I don’t know. Because I think there are people, around him at least, that don’t really think this is a serious issue, and hopefully now they realise that it is.” | Asked why action on the issue had taken so long, he replied: “I don’t know. Because I think there are people, around him at least, that don’t really think this is a serious issue, and hopefully now they realise that it is.” |
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