Anti-Semite row MP is suspended by Corbyn
BY TORCUIL CRICHTON LABOUR finally suspended Corbyn ally Chris Williamson MP yesterday over a row about the party’s handling of claims of anti-Semitism.
The Derby North MP caused outrage by suggesting Labour had been “too apologetic” over anti-Semitism.
Williamson was initially only issued with a notice of investigation yesterday despite high-profile Labour figures calling for him to be kicked out.
He issued a grovelling apology for boasting he celebrated the departure of rebel MPs who had suffered anti-Semitic bullying.
But deputy Labour leader Tom Watson, ex-leader Ed Miliband, Sadiq Khan and Tim Roache of the GMB union all said Williamson should be suspended.
Party bosses later said they had removed the whip from Williamson pending a probe into a “pattern of behaviour” over months.
The Labour Party said: “Chris Williamson is suspended from the party, and therefore the whip, pending investigation.”
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Theresa May urged Jeremy Corbyn to sack the MP. She said: “You can never be too apologetic about anti-Semitism. But I think this actually sums up Labour under their leader.”
The latest row came after footage emerged on Tuesday of Williamson telling a meeting of Sheffield Momentum that Labour had been “too apologetic” over its antiSemitism problem.
Williamson said: “The party that has done more to stand up to racism is now being demonised as a racist, bigoted party. Our party’s response has been partly responsible for that because we’ve backed off far too much, we have given too much ground, we’ve been too apologetic.”