Council chief resigns amid antisemitism allegations

V THE LABOUR leader of Sandwell Council in the West Midlands resigned on Wednesday — a day after being suspended by the party over allegations she shared and posted a series of antisemitic messages on social media.

Yvonne Davies announced her decision after calling an emergency cabinet meeting on Wednesday afternoon.

During an 18-minute speech, sources told the JC that Ms Davies claimed she was being forced out of her post and that she also made a series of allegations about sexism and funding issues within the party.

Labour sources confirmed earlier on Wednesday that she had been suspended as leader pending the outcome of a probe into her social media activity.

Ms Davies had been under investigation after she backed claims on social media that “Israel’s hand” and the “Jewish establishment” were responsible for undermining Jeremy Corbyn.

Another post included a link to a petition calling for a parliamentary debate over whether Israel has “improper influence” over British politics.

In another tweet she shared an article by “non-Zionist” Robert Cohen, titled “The Jewish establishment’s ‘War on Corbyn’ risks bringing real antisemitism to Britain”. A further post by Ms Davies stated: “I might be wrong?? But isn’t soros [sic] Jewish? Who remembers the atrocity of the Nazis and is frightened by what he sees as the re-rise of extremism across Europe?...”

Labour MP John Spellar and Birmingham Hodge Hill MP Liam Byrne, Labour’s candidate for West Midlands

Mayor, both urged their party to urgently deal with the matter.

In January former Labour deputy leader Tom Watson called for Ms Davies to stand down saying she lacked the skill and “humility” to guide the authority away from a troubled past.

Councillor Davies has insisted she is not antisemitic and said she would be careful about what she retweeted in future due to there being “a lot of sensitivity” around the issue.