The Key Reactions To The Labour Anti-Semitism Report
The investigation into anti-Semitism by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has found Labour responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination.
In its report, published on Thursday, the human rights watchdog said the party under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership was guilty of three breaches of the Equality Act.
The EHRC said Labour had allowed political interference in anti-Semitism complaints (resulting in pressure to treat some cases less harshly and others more harshly); had failed to provide adequate training to those handling anti-Semitism complaints; and had permitted harassment of Jewish members by two agents. There were also 18 “borderline” cases of “local councillors, local election candidates and Constituency Labour Party office holders” whose conduct could not be definitively shown to be the responsibility of the party; and “many more” where there was evidence of anti-Semitic conduct by ordinary members.
Here’s how the key players reacted to the findings.
Keir Starmer
Labour’s new leader said the report’s findings marked a “day of shame” for the party and said he was “truly sorry for all the pain and grief that has been caused”.
“We have failed Jewish people, our members, our supporters and the British public,” he said. “And so, on behalf of the Labour Party: I am truly sorry for all the pain and grief that has been caused.”
Jeremy Corbyn
Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended from the Labour Party over his response to the EHRC report after he claimed the problem had been “dramatically overstated” by his political opponents.
A spokesperson for Labour said: “In light of his comments made today and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation”.
In a statement about the report, Corbyn had written: “Anyone claiming there is no anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is wrong.
“Of course there is, as there is throughout society, and...
