Labour drops investigation into Hodge as anti-semitism row escalates

● Jewish groups not willing to accept Corbyn’s apology as Watson feels strain

An investigation into senior Labour MP Margaret Hodge for allegedly shouting at Jeremy Corbyn over anti-semitism has been dropped, the part y has said.

General secretary Jennie Formby has written to Dame Margaret ending the inquiry into alleged abusive behaviour and informing her that no further action will be taken.

It is understood the decision comes after Dame Margaret expressed her regret to the chief whip Nick Brown for the manner in which she had voiced her views.

Writing on Twitter, Dame Margaret welcomed the decision, but insisted there had been no apologies on either side.

“I’m pleased that the Labour Party has finally dropped their ‘action’ against me.” she wrote.

“After 55 years of LP membership going after me instead of addressing the issue was wrong. In 2018 anti-semitism that has again reared its ugly head and the campaign against it goes on.” Labour’s difficulties over antiSemitism deepened yesterday as deputy leader Tom Watson faced a campaign to oust him for speaking out over the party’s handling of the row.

Thousands of Twitter users mounted a #Resignwatson campaign aimed at Mr Watson following his warning that Labour faced a “vortex of eternal shame” unless it got to grips with the issue.

Meanwhile, Jewish groups rebuffed Jeremy Corbyn’ s latest attempt to draw a line under the row despite the Labour leader apologising for the hurt caused by the situation.

Earlier Mr Watson broke ranks with his leader by calling for an end to disciplinary action against Ian Austin and Dame Margaret and the adoption in full of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition and examples of anti-semitism.

That provoked a furious and occasionally abusive online campaign aimed at Mr Watson but the senior MP received support from a number of parliamentary colleagues.

Mr Watson said: “It some - times feels like people have been calling for me to stand down from day one but I never, ever thought I’d be facing demands to #resignwatson for standing up for people who are facing prejudice and hate.” Mr Corbyn had sought to defuse the row with a video message insisting he was working to drive anti-semitism out of the party. He said: “I am sorry for the hurt that has been caused to many Jewish people. We have been too slow in processing disciplinary cases of, mostly, online anti-semitic abuse by party members.”