Corbyn aide’s ‘plot to scupper probe on anti-Semitism’
THE anti-Semitism row that has engulfed Labour intensified last night amid claims that Jeremy Corbyn’s top aide plotted to influence the party’s disciplinary panel.
Karie Murphy, the Labour leader’s chief of staff, is said to have instructed officials to compile a dossier setting out how the party’s highest disciplinary body could be challenged.
Leaked emails revealed that Ms Murphy said it was “absurd” the National Constitutional Committee (NCC), which operates independently of the party’s governing body, was able to “overrule” concerns raised by the leadership. She also suggested trade union representatives on the NCC might “volunteer to help” challenge the make-up of the panel.
Challenge
A Jewish group claimed the emails show the party’s leadership want to “interfere” in anti-Semitism cases and are “not prepared to let the NCC be independent”.
Ms Murphy’s comments were made in response to an email from Labour general secretary Jennie Formby, which also copied in director of communications Seamus Milne, policy adviser Andrew Fisher and Mr Corbyn, via a private email address.
The emails, obtained by Sky News, relate to a discussion about the makeup of an NCC panel that was due to hear cases related to anti-Semitism in July last year.
The NCC alone has the power to expel members who have been found to have broken party rules.
Extracts from the email chain were featured in this month’s BBC Panorama programme on anti-Semitism but Ms Murphy’s comments were not aired.
She also asked whether “an external legal challenge” could be used to change the personnel of an NCC panel, describing it as “a very important hearing”.
“The very idea that the chair [of the NCC] can overrule the GSO [general secretary’s office] is absurd. I am sure one of the NCC members from a union would volunteer to help with this,” she wrote.
The hearing in question was for that of activist JackieWalker who has since been expelled from the party.
Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said the email chain “clearly shows they want to interfere in the process – they’re not prepared to let the NCC be independent”.
She added: “There is no independence and this cover-up and conspiracy by them, and by Jeremy Corbyn’s office, cannot continue.
“Jeremy Corbyn has to accept personal responsibility in dealing with this as a matter of urgency.”
The shadow cabinet is meeting to discuss tackling anti-Semitism on Monday but at the same time Labour peers could hold a vote of no confidence in Mr Corbyn over his handling of the issue.
A Labour spokesman said: “The Labour Party is implacably opposed to anti-Semitism and determined to root it out of our movement and our society.”