Equalities watchdog to investigate Labour anti-Semitism claims

Britain’s equalities watchdog has opened a preliminary investigation into the Labour Party over its handling of anti-Semitism.

After receiving a number of complaints from individuals and organisations, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) says it “believes Labour may have unlawfully discriminated against people because of their ethnicity and religious beliefs”.

“Our concerns are sufficient for us to consider using our statutory enforcement powers. As set out in our enforcement policy, we are now engaging with the Labour Party to give them an opportunity to respond,” an EHRC spokesperson said.

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Both the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) and Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) have submitted dossiers detailing a large number of Jew-hate allegations over the past year, and argue that the party is not compliant with equalities law in dealing with anti-Semitism.

Once the EHRC’s formal letter is received by Labour, the party will have 14 days to respond to the concerns raised.

“The move is the first step in an investigatory process by the EHRC, and if the regulator concludes Labour has a case to answer it will go on to open a rare full inquiry under section 20 of the Equalities Act,” The Guardian reports.

The Jewish Chronicle says that “if the EHRC proceeds with a statutory investigation, it will be able to use its powers to compel the party to reveal details of its handling of anti-Semitism in recent years, including internal communications such as text messages and emails”.

The commission “can also seek court injunctions to prevent further anti-Semitic discrimination and victimisation, and impose an action plan on the party”, the newspaper adds.

Labour has been plagued with accusations of anti-Semitism in recent years, but the EHRC investigation represents “a significant blow” to party leader Jeremy Corbyn, says The Independent. The move comes just weeks after nine MPs quit Labour, in protest at issues including the leadership’s handling of anti-Semitism complaints.

The BBC reports that the party has asked former Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer to carry out a review of its handling of anti-Semitism allegations, despite “claims by prominent Jewish Labour MPs that he is not independent enough”.

A long-running and potentially public airing of Labour’s internal workings could prove hugely damaging to the party, which is looking to move the debate beyond anti-Semitism.

In a welcome boost, the Jewish Labour Movement voted last night not to sever ties with the party, to which it has been affiliated with for almost a century.

In a bid to head off a largely symbolic but still hugely embarrassing split, Corbyn, the shadow cabinet and more than 100 Labour MPs all wrote to the JLM in advance of the meeting urging the body not to go it alone.

PoliticsHome reports that, following “an impassioned debate”, it is estimated that “around 80% of those present at the London meeting backed remaining affiliated”.

But ahead of a formal vote of JLM members next month, the organisation’s national secretary, Peter Mason, yesterday issued a not-so-veiled threat.

“The message from the Jewish Labour Movement this evening was absolutely clear. If the Labour Party fails to show solidarity to us, we will not show solidarity to it,” he warned.