Call for whip to be removed from Labour MPs backing expelled director Ken Loach
LABOUR IS facing calls to withdraw the party whip from 23 MPs and peers who have come out in support of expelled member Ken Loach.
The 85-year-old film director has long been accused of antisemitism.
In 1987, London’s Royal Court Theatre dropped his production of Jim Allen’s controversial play Perdition, which accused some Zionists of collaborating with the Nazis.
He has also courted controversy for saying in response to questions about Holocaust denial that “history is for us all to discuss”.
Mr Loach revealed over the weekend he had been expelled for his support for hard-left former members already kicked out of the party. He branded the move a “witch hunt”.
But he won support from the parliamentary Socialist Campaign Group, which issued a statement demanding the filmmaker be
“immediately reinstated”.
Eighteen
Labour MPs and five Labour peers signed the statement, which praised Mr Loach as an “outstanding socialist” and branded his expulsion “shameful”. Headed by current SCG chairman Richard Burgon, the demand was signed by former shadow home secretary Diane Abbott and former shadow chancellor John McDonnell as well as MPs Rebecca Long-Bailey, Jon Trickett, Zarah Sultana and Clive Lewis.
It was also signed by Jeremy Corbyn and Claudia Webbe, both currently suspended as Labour MPs.
Ian Austin, chairman of the antiextremism campaign group Mainstream UK, said: “It’s good news they have finally dealt with Ken Loach but you have to ask why it took so long. You also have to ask why Labour has not taken the whip off MPs who are supporting him.” Euan Philipps, spokesman for Labour Against Antisemitism, tweeted: “None of these MPs should be Labour Party candidates at the next election. Starmer should withdraw the whip ASAP.” Current NEC member Luke Akehurst has also condemned the statement saying those who signed it did “not take antisemitism seriously”. It is widely understood that the director was expelled for his association with Labour Against the Witch-Hunt, one of four hard-left groups proscribed by Labour’s ruling NEC last month.
In his statement, Mr Loach said: “Labour HQ finally decided I’m not fit to be a member of their party, as I will not disown those already expelled.”
He said he was “proud to stand with the good friends and comrades victimised by the purge”.
“There is indeed a witch-hunt,” he added. “Starmer and his clique will never lead a party of the people. We are many, they are few. Solidarity.”
Mike Katz, Jewish Labour Movement chairman, said: “Good riddance. Holocaust inversion, tropes about a lobby controlling media and politics, claims Jews exploit the Holocaust for political ends. If you are defending Loach as a good socialist, you need to take a long hard look at your definition of socialism.”
Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl said kicking out Mr Loach was “the correct decision”.
She said in a statement he had “tarnished
It’s good news they have dealt with Loach but you have to ask why it took so long
his legacy as a film-maker by repeatedly standing with antisemites.”
Coverage of his expulsion prompted St Peter’s alumnus Benjamin Seifert to call on the Oxford college to consider reviewing Mr Loach’s honorary fellowship.
The filmmaker is also an alumnus and was invited to speak at the college earlier this year, sparking widespread anger.
Speaking to the JC on
Sunday,
Mr Seifert, who is a barrister, said: “In the case of Ken
Loach, who was really at the forefront in trying to prevent people from complaining about the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, is it appropriate for him to have a position within an academic institution? I think it’s important to have that debate.” St Peter’s College did not return the JC’s request for comment.
Mr Loach, whose work includes the films Kes and I, Daniel Blake, has long faced accusations of antisemitism, which he denies.
Writing for the JC website, Mr Austin said: “Labour now need to take action against hard-left MPs and Momentum who are demanding he be let back in.”
He added that “what’s needed now” is “strong, determined and decisive leadership to show millions of lifelong Labour voters and members of the Jewish community who turned away in disgust at extremism and antisemitism that Labour really has changed.” Labour has said it would not comment on individual cases.