Corbyn welcomes Labour probe into anti-Semitism
JEREMY CORBYN has insisted that Labour does not have “anything to hide” over its action on anti-Semitism, after an equality watchdog began enforcement action which could lead to it gaining access to internal communications between staff handling complaints.
In a dramatic heightening of Labour’s anti-Semitism crisis, the Equality and Human Rights Commission announced on Thursday it was launching an enforcement process which could lead to a formal investigation.
Labour has been given a fortnight to respond to the body’s concerns that it “may have unlawfully discriminated against people because of their ethnicity and religious beliefs”.
A decision will then be made on whether to launch an investigation, which would involve interviews with key party figures and the EHRC obtaining documents and records relating to the issue.
Speaking during a visit to a housing project in north London yesterday, Mr Corbyn said Labour
will give the EHRC its “fullest possible co-operation” if the body decides to investigate.
“We welcome it, we will co-operate with it – we do not believe we have anything to hide at all,” said the Labour leader.
“Anti-Semitism has no place whatsoever at all in the Labour Party or the Labour movement.”
He said he was “absolutely determined” that “all people that join the Labour Party are welcome”.
This comes as Bradford MP Naz Shah called for an apology from Andrea Leadsom after the Commons Leader suggested Islamophobia should be treated as a Foreign Office issue.
In a letter to Theresa May, Ms Shah said: “This comment exposes profound ignorance of race issues at the top of Government. This is not a trivial matter.
“In the face of rising hate crime and an emboldened farright movement here in Britain, how can the Government hope to combat racism when its own Ministers seem to lack an understanding of the ways in which it manifests itself?”
She concluded by urging the Prime Minister to “publicly distance” herself from Mrs Leadsom’s comments.
We do not believe that we have anything to hide at all. Jeremy Corbyn, Labour Party leader.