McDonnell backs Labour official who quit amid anti-Semitism row

A LABOUR official who opposed the suspension of a council candidate accused of anti-Semitism should remain on the party’s ruling executive, John McDonnell has said.

The shadow chancellor admitted Labour should have implemented measures to deal with hostility towards Jewish people “ages ago” and appeared to blame Iain McNicol, who recently quit as party general secretary.

Christine Shawcroft said she was “wrong and misguided” in her handling of a complaint about anti-Semitism as she was forced to stand down as chair of Labour’s disputes panel.

Support: John McDonnell

Mr McDonnell insisted it was right that Ms Shawcroft had quit the post, but he added that she did not need to also resign from the party’s national executive committee (NEC).

Asked if she should step down from the ruling body, he told Sky News: “Well, no. Jeremy has asked her to stand down as the chair of the disputes committee.

“She’s not at the head of that committee (the NEC). It is an elected position and it is up to the electorate to decide whether or not she should be elected again.”

Mr McDonnell insisted the party did not tolerate any form of anti-Semitism, but admitted the latest furore was “worrying”.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Any form of anti-Semitism will not be tolerated in our party. We are bringing forward mechanisms. They should have been implemented ages ago, but they will be now, under the new general secretary.”