Activist wins vote despite ‘offensive’ comments

A Labour activist has been re-elected to the party’s ruling body despite admitting making “offensive” comments about Jews.

Peter Willsman was on a nine-strong slate of Jeremy Corbyn supporters who swept the vote for the National Executive Committee (NEC). Comedian Eddie Izzard lost his seat.

The Momentum campaign group withdrew its support over Mr Willsman’s “deeply insensitive” comments. He apologised and referred himself for equalities training after saying some Jews were “Trump fanatics” and were “making up” problems about anti-semitism.

Amanda Bowman, vice president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, called the result “deeply concerning”. New members of the NEC will not take up their posts until after Labour’s conference.