Labour anti-Semitism investigations ‘must be made fully independent’
FRESH demands were made today for Jeremy Corbyn to make investigations into alleged anti-Semitism by Labour members fully independent.
Ahead of talks by the party’s most senior figures on anti-Semitism, deputy chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party Ruth Smeeth said only an independent process would “restore faith” in how the party handles complaints.
The shadow cabinet yesterday decided not to fully endorse an independent complaints procedure, which deputy leader Tom Watson had called for, and instead refer cases to panels made up of members of Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee.
Ms Smeeth, who is Jewish, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she was unhappy at the shadow cabinet’s decision which would give the Left-wing-dominated NEC a greater say over future complaints.
She said: “The proposals sanctioned by the shadow cabinet that will be discussed today at the NEC just simply aren’t good enough. There’s still no independence. In fact, arguably, political power over anti-Semitism cases is going to be consolidated by political supporters of Jeremy Corbyn. We need a completely independent process that could restore faith for everybody.”
The MP suggested an independent investigatory panel could be made up of former trade unionists, ex-police officers and lawyers.
She said: “[It would be] an independent panel that… couldn’t be touched by any political interference from anyone within the Labour Party.
“We’ve got politicisation of the process all the way through. The only way people like me, and I think people who are accused of anti-Semitism, will have any faith in the process is if it’s not seen to be driven by party political or different factions in the Labour Party.”
Mr Corbyn’s team support an initiative which would allow the most serious cases to be referred to a special panel consisting of general secretary Jennie Formby and NEC officers. This would allow for speedier removal of antiSemites from the party, according to Labour sources. The package would need to be approved by the Labour conference in the autumn.
In the first six months of 2019 there have been complaints against 625 members relating to anti-Semitism. There were also complaints about 658 people who are not in the party.
In 28 of the most serious disciplinary cases concluded by the National Constitutional Committee in this period, eight members were expelled, three received an extended suspension and four received a warning. One member received no action because the NCC found the charges to be unproven, and 12 members left the party.