Will party EVER banish racism?

THe MoSt eye-catching event at Labour’s conference in brighton is probably a talk pondering what the party must do ‘to deserve the title “anti-racist”’. to which many might answer: rather a lot! Do Labour bigwigs need reminding that the equalities and Human rights Commission, no less, is investigating their woeful response to the poisonous anti-Semitism within the party’s ranks?

the anti-racist event is being hosted by Jeremy Corbyn’s praetorian guard Momentum — which led the botched attempt to topple Deputy Leader tom Watson at the weekend.

the workshop will explore how the ‘movement’ can become ‘the most effective anti-racist front possible’.

but what a controversial lot they are fielding. Leftie filmmaker Ken Loach will be speaking. in a bbC interview in September 2017, Loach was asked if Holocaust denial — a loathsome view that had reportedly been aired at a fringe Labour event that week — was acceptable.

His notorious response? ‘History is for all of us to discuss . . . the founding of the State of israel, for example, based on ethnic cleansing, is there for us to discuss . . . So don’t try to subvert that by false stories of anti-Semitism.’

Loach was later adamant his words had been ‘twisted’, adding: ‘the Holocaust is as real a historical event as World War ii itself and not to be challenged.’

other panellists at this week’s event include Jackie Walker, expelled from Labour in March over allegations of anti-Semitism; and former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone, who quit Labour last year before he was pushed. for what? Why, allegations of anti-Semitism.