Labour is told: Expel Corbyn and we’ll drop £3m lawsuit
EXPELLING Jeremy Corbyn from Labour could spare the party legal action over a leaked antisemitism report that would bankrupt it, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
Some ex-party staff now poised to take part in multi- millionpound lawsuits against Labour say they will drop their claims if the former leader is thrown out of the party.
But the extraordinary ultimatum will enrage backers of Mr Corbyn already furious that Labour under new leader Sir Keir Starmer last week apologised to antisemitism whistleblowers and agreed to pay them damages in a separate case.
It comes amid anger on the Left at Sir Keir’s ‘failure’ to cut the Tories’ lead in the polls despite Boris Johnson’s ‘abject handling’ of the coronavirus crisis.
The Mail on Sunday revealed in April that Labour could face a legal bill of between £3 million and £8 million over the leak of an internal party report into the handling of antisemitism complaints during Mr Corbyn’s leadership.
More than 30 individuals whose identities were exposed by the leak or who faced ‘unfounded’ allegations in the report were considering legal action against the party. As reported by this paper last week, that now includes the party’s former general secretary Lord McNicol.
Corbyn loyalists have claimed the leaked document laid bare how ‘Blairites’ at the party’s HQ had worked against him – while moderates say the report was designed to shift the blame for the ‘ disgraceful’ handling of antisemitism complaints under the former leadership.
But last night, sources close to some of the ex- party staffers confirmed they would drop the legal action if Mr Corbyn was ejected from the party.
A well-placed source said some would still take action on ‘entirely justifiable claims’ due to the harm they had suffered.
But others would back down and so limit the eventual payouts from Labour if the ex-leader was expelled. The source said: ‘Labour says they have zero tolerance to antisemitism. Zero tolerance means no Corbyn and no Corbynistas. It’s Keir’s choice – zero tolerance or zero money.’
Mr Corbyn infuriated the new leadership by criticising last week’s decision to apologise and pay damages to party whistleblowers who took part in a BBC Panorama‘ Is Labour antisemitic?’ documentary last year but who were derided by a Labour spokesman at the time as ‘disaffected former officials’.
He is now facing possible legal action from Panorama’s John Ware for potentially defaming him last week. Supporters of Mr Corbyn have raised £250,000 to pay for his legal defence but been accused of posting antisemitic messages online. The Go Fund Me page yesterday appeared to have removed all comments.
Labour declined to comment on ex-party staff ’s request for Mr Corbyn to be expelled. But Corbyn supporter Jon Trickett said: ‘It is a ridiculous demand.’ Left-wingers say Sir Keir should stop celebrating his high personal ratings and cease picking fights inside the party, and instead focus on cutting the Tories’ overall lead over Labour in the polls.
‘It’s Keir’s choice… zero tolerance or zero money’