UJSsaysitknewabout 2015 Bouattia inquiry
THE UNION of Jewish Students knew at the time that Malia Bouattia, the new National Union of Students president, was investigated over antisemitic comments the JC can reveal.
The NUS held an inquiry into a complaint against Ms Bouattia, then the union’s black and ethnic minorities officer, in March 2015.
It concluded that though it was “not unreasonable” to regard her comments as antisemitic, she had not intended to be antisemitic herself.
However, the inquiry found that she had broken the union’s code of conduct. MsBouattiawasgivenaninformalwarning and ordered to send a written apology to the complainant.
Russell Langer, UJS campaigns director,toldthe JC thisweekthatUJShadbeen told of the complaint and the inquiry, although not of its findings which were kept confidential by the NUS.
Mr Langer defended the UJS’ decision not to tell its members at the time or after Ms Bouattia announced she was running for NUS president earlier this year.
He said: “We didn’t publicise that fact because we were aware that complaints are dealt with confidentially, but obviously we weren’t silent on the matter of antisemitism while she was being elected.”
He added that the UJS had preferred to focus on more recent allegations of antisemitism against Ms Bouattia, “which weren’t confidential”.
But Mr Langer criticised the NUS for its lack of transparency over the inquiry.
He said: “I understand that it’s quite common in lots of organisations to keep formal complaints confidential, but it’s obviously worrying, considering the person involved went ontoruninfurther elections while people were not Malia Bouattia aware that the NUS had upheld a previous complaint about her.” Mr Langer said the UJS would ask the NUS “to tell us in future when these results are proven”. Ms Bouattia prompted outrage when it emerged before the election in April that she had described Birmingham University—whichhasalargeJewishstudent population — as a “Zionist outpost” and referred to “the Zionist-led media”. AnNUSspokeswoman said that disciplinary matters were “treated in strict confidence in accordance with our legal obligations andbestpractice. This means the outcome of any investigation is only communicated to the parties directly involved.”