Labour groups back Jew-baiter MP
LABOUR AND Momentum groups across the country have in recent days passed motions in support of Chris Williamson after he was suspended from the party following a series of controversial interventions in the antisemitism row.
Constituency Labour Parties (CLPs) in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, Sheffield Hallam, Hastings and Rye and Bristol East all voted to make official statements backing the Derby North MP.
Jewish members were reportedly “in tears” as the Hackney North and Stoke Newington CLP passed a motion which called on the party to “firmly reject” accusations of institutional racism, although it did not mention Mr Williamson by name.
Local branches in Sheffield and Richmond-upon-Thames, in West London, passed similar motions — as did a series of Momentum, trades union and left-wing groups from Camden, Ilford, Swansea, Birmingham, and Brent.
Mr Williamson, a long-time ally of Jeremy Corbyn, provoked fury by suggesting Labour had been “too apologetic” over antisemitism at a meeting of Sheffield Momentum.
Members of Sheffield Hallam CLP approved by 40 votes to one a motion describing the allegations against Mr Williamson as “unfounded” and claim- ing accusations of antisemitism had been “weaponised”.
It prompted the resignation of a number of members.
Local sources suggested the motion was passed by a cabal of hard-left loyalists, following the exodus of moderates.
Oliver Coppard, who ran against Nick Clegg as the Labour candidate in Sheffield Hallam in the 2015 general election, told the JC that meetings had become “unpleasant, aggressive experiences” in recent years.
Mr Coppard, who is Jewish, said: “What is left is a self-selecting group of people who are taking decisions without the consent of the wider membership.
“I felt disappointed and angry that this has happened. As a candidate, I felt nothing but support and encouragement from the CLP.”
The local parliamentary Labour candidate, Olivia Blake, did not attend the portion of the meeting in which the motion was debated and passed, but said she “strongly disagreed” with Mr Williamson.
Last Friday, the JC reported that Diane Abbott, the MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, attended the CLP meeting at which the motion was passed, by 45 votes to 35, with 14 Chris Williamson, who has publicly supported a Holocaust denier abstentions. It was later revealed that the borough’s mayor, Philip Glanville, also attended. Both he and Ms Abbott failed to speak against the motion.
A source who attended the meeting told the JC that some Jewish members were “extraordinarily upset”.
He added: “I just don’t understand why it was necessary. We have a lot of Jewish members… There were a lot of people in tears. Some said they wouldn’t be coming back again.”
In response, the Labour Party said: “We completely reject claims of institutional antisemitism. Antisemitism complaints received since April 2018 relate to about 0.1 per cent of our membership, but one antisemite in our party is one too many.”
The JC understands that Labour has rejected all motions concerning individual disciplinary cases, and the party’s General Secretary Jennie Formby has directed all CLPs that they are “not competent business for discussion”.
The Chorlton ward Labour Party, part of Manchester Withington CLP, passed a motion in support of the Jewish community with near-unanimity.
It read: “Antisemitism has no place in our movement. Labour can only rebuild the trust of the Jewish community by dealing with all complaints and by tackling a culture in which antisemitism has been able to spread and by adopting a zero-tolerance policy.”
Meetings have become ‘unpleasant, aggressive’