Labour accuses ex-staff of leaking report on Corbyn

SEAMUS MILNE leaked an internal Labour Party report which appeared to exonerate Jeremy Corbyn from claims of anti-semitism, the High Court has heard.

The Labour Party yesterday accused five former staff members of leaking an internal report into anti-jewish racism in an attempt to protect their former boss.

The staffers accused include Seumas Milne, Mr Corbyn’s top spin doctor, and Karie Murphy, his former chief of staff.

Georgie Robertson, a former press officer, and Laura Murray, who ran Labour’s complaints unit have been named alongside Harry Hayball, a former aide.

The five are accused of leaking an internal report that was intended to be sent to the Equality and Human Rights Commission in response to accusations that Mr Corbyn’s party had botched the handling of anti-semitism complaints.

The report alleged that opponents of Mr Corbyn had inhibited investigations into Labour members in an attempt to damage the former leader, because they hoped for him to be replaced sooner. Staff members named in the report, which was never submitted to the EHRC, have since sued the party for breach of confidence because of the leak. A barrister representing one of the named staffers said she had been the victim of a “one-sided factional attack” by Corbynites.

Yesterday Labour filed documents to the High Court counter-accusing the former Corbynite staffers of leaking the report in an attempt to protect their former boss from criticism.

All five former employees strongly deny leaking the report.

In a statement issued yesterday by their lawyers, they said: “The individuals entirely reject these baseless claims.

“They fully co-operated with the Party’s investigation by an independent external investigator, and with the inquiry led by Martin Forde QC. They understand that neither of those investigations concluded that they were responsible. The Party has already acknowledged in court that it cannot be certain who leaked the report and that its “case” against them is circumstantial.”

The Labour Party declined to comment.