Labour leader to be removed from anti-semitism cases

THE leader of the Labour Party will no longer intervene in anti- Semitism cases, the party has decided in response to an investigation.

Labour yesterday announced plans to introduce a fully independent complaints process to tackle anti-semitism within the party by late 2021.

The decision came in response to the highly damning report by the equality watchdog into its handling of the issue under Jeremy Corbyn.

Backed by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission, the action plan seeks to prevent the leader and his office from influencing outcomes and deal with a backlog of cases.

The issues were cited as problems during Mr Corbyn’s leadership by an EHRC investigation that found the party broke the law in its handling of anti-semitism. The plan sets out that many independent elements of the process that do not require an overhaul to the party rule book will be in place by the end of April. But the full system will not be in place until “as soon as practicable after Labour Party conference in September”.

Sir Keir Starmer, the party leader, said there was “lots that we need to do” in implementing the “very robust action plan”.

Mr Corbyn was suspended after claiming anti-semitism had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons”.

After an investigation, his party membership was reinstated by the party’s ruling national executive committee, but Sir Keir has not restored the Labour whip.

The former Labour leader said in a statement at the time: “I regret the pain this issue has caused the Jewish community and would wish to do nothing that would exacerbate or prolong it.”