Labour offers to drop Hodge ‘anti-Semitism’ disciplinary

LABOUR offered to drop disciplinary action against Dame Margaret Hodge in the party’s anti-Semitism dispute, on the condition she issued an “appropriate apology”.

The veteran Labour MP has published a three-page letter dated July 25 from the party’s general secretary, Jennie Formby, on her Facebook page. Ms Hodge said: “This is the continuing correspondence with the Labour Party.

“I’m still no wiser as to what I’m accused of; the nature of complaints received; who the investigating officer is; or what the time-frame for the investigation will be. Is this fair?”

Dame Margaret labelled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn anti-Semitic and racist in a heated exchange after the party leadership refused to sign up to the internationally recognised International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) code of conduct in full.

The Labour MP, a secular Jew some of whose relatives died in Auschwitz concentration camp, called for disciplinary investigations against her and colleague Ian Austin to be ended.

She also demanded Mr Corbyn sign up to the code in full, and reports suggest the Labour leader could be gearing up for a climbdown speech on the issue at the Jewish Museum next week.

The investigation is expected to continue as Dame Margaret has not offered any apology to date.