Watson challenges Corbyn over Labour anti-semitism

LABOUR’S deputy leader has openly challenged Jeremy Corbyn’s authority by putting forward his own plan for rooting out anti-semitism in the party.

Tom Watson is trying to circumvent Mr Corbyn’s office by proposing a “radical” change to party rules which he wants members to approve at September’s party conference.

Mr Watson’s latest move against Mr Corbyn follows months of public criticism by him of the leader’s inability to get a grip on the anti-semitism crisis.

It came as Lord Harris of Haringey, chairman of the Labour Peers Group, said Mr Corbyn was “not cut out to be a party leader”.

And today, 64 Labour peers have taken out an advertisement in The Guardian accusing Mr Corbyn of having “failed the test of leadership” over anti-semitism. The signatories tell Mr Corbyn the party is “no longer a safe place for all members” and claim thousands have resigned their membership due to “the toxic culture you have allowed to divide our movement”.

In the advert, the peers tell Mr Corbyn: “You are accountable as leader for allowing anti-semitism to grow in our party and presiding over the most shaming period in Labour’s history.”

A party spokesman said Mr Corbyn and the Labour Party “stand in solidarity with Jewish people and are fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community”.

Meanwhile, Mr Watson, aided by four members of Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC), has submitted a motion to the ruling body calling for a new independent complaints system and automatic expulsions for racism and other forms of abuse.

The group has called for disciplinary matters to be outsourced to an external body, that they propose be created and overseen by a person “wholly independent from the Labour Party”.

The plans would be drawn up in consultation with the Jewish community and, if agreed by the NEC, be put to Labour delegates in the autumn for approval. The motion, which they intend to put to a vote at an NEC meeting next week, states: “Members who express racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic views have no place in the Labour Party.”

♦ Ten Labour MPS have said they are ready to back a no-deal Brexit rather than risk Britain staying in the EU, in a major boost to Boris Johnson. Sarah Champion, the Labour MP for Leavesupporting Rotherham, said yesterday Parliament would be “going against democracy” if it tries to stop Brexit.