Watson calls smearing of campaigners ‘deplorable’
DEPUTY Labour leader Tom Watson says the way the party has treated anti-Semitism whistleblowers is “unacceptable”.
He spoke out after the BBC’s Panorama made “truly shocking” revelations. In the documentary eight former officials claimed they had been undermined in their efforts to tackle antiJewish prejudice.
Mr Watson wrote to General Secretary Jennie Formby: “Only sunlight can disinfect Labour of anti-Semitism now.”
He added: “These young people, particularly ex-staff who broke NDAs to speak out, have been very brave to tell their stories.
“The way they have been smeared, including by Labour spokespeople, is deplorable.”
But party officials lashed out ahead of the broadcast on Wednesday saying those who spoke out were “politically motivated” and had “axes to grind”.
They claimed the programme was “seriously inaccurate and politically one-sided” with invented quotes and emails edited to change their meaning.