Labour to be investigated by EHRC over alleged discrimination against Jews
An investigation into whether "unlawful acts have been committed by the party" has been launched by the human rights watchdog.
Tuesday 28 May 2019 17:23, UK
An investigation into whether the Labour Party "unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimised people because they are Jewish" has been launched by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).
The EHRC said it had contacted Labour after receiving a "number of complaints" about antisemitism within the party.
The human rights watchdog added it had "carefully considered" their response before opening the probe.
The investigation will seek to determine whether "unlawful acts have been committed by the party and/or its employees and/or its agents" and whether the party has "responded to complaints of unlawful acts in a lawful, efficient and effective manner".
The watchdog will have the power to force Labour to turn over correspondence, emails and other resources to determine how officials dealt with allegations of antisemitic discrimination.
They are expected to request interviews with key figures in the party.
They will not be able to issue fines or prosecute individuals or organisations. The body can make recommendations and draw up a legally-enforceable action plan.
Labour said they supported the efforts of the EHRC and that "there has been a deeply worrying rise in antisemitism in the UK and across Europe."
A party spokesperson said: "Labour is fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and is implacably opposed to antisemitism in any form.
"We reject any suggestion that the party does not handle antisemitism complaints fairly and robustly, or that the party has acted unlawfully, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the EHRC."
The spokesperson added Labour were "taking action to root it out of our party by strengthening our rules and procedures".
Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge tweeted: "A truly disgraceful day for the Labour Party. One of the most depressing in my 56 years as a member. Corbyn has completely failed from day one to take this issue seriously.
"The consequence is a full statutory investigation, he should hang his head in shame."
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Jewish MP Luciana Berger, who cited the handling of antisemitism when she quit the Labour Party to join Change UK, said: "For anyone who might look to play this down, the threshold to initiate this process is extremely high.
"That the Labour Party has even met the evidenciary threshold is damning."
Dawn Butler, the shadow secretary for women and equalities, told Sky News: "The party will fully co-operate. It's an important decision, but I see it this way: We need to build bridges especially with the Jewish community. Our processes were not strong enough in the very beginning."
She added: "The Labour Party has strengthened all of its procedures, doubled the number of people dealing with complaints and it has invested resources into dealing with any of the complaints that come through."
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn did not comment on the investigation when approached by reporters outside his home on Tuesday.
The complainants in the case, the Campaign Against Antisemitism, made the formal referral to the EHRC and provided detailed legal representations.
The group's chief executive, Gideon Falter, said: "There are only two reasons that the Commission has taken this extraordinary step.
"The first is that the Labour Party has repeatedly failed to address its own antisemitism problem.
"The second is that when the Commission approached the Labour leadership, they still failed to offer to action sufficient to reassure the Commission that the antisemitic discrimination and victimisation would stop.
He added: "In just four chilling years, Jeremy Corbyn has turned the party which pioneered anti-racism into the party that now finds itself in the company of the BNP, being investigated by the very equality and human rights regulator it once fought so hard to establish."
In April, Jewish Labour Movement has passed a motion of no confidence in Mr Corbyn over the party's handling of antisemitism complaints.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Council of Britain has urged the EHRC to open an investigation into alleged Islamophobia within the Conservative Party.
Harun Rashid Khan, Secretary General of the MCB, said: "It is a sad day for us to have brought this complaint to the doors of the EHRC, but the concerns of Muslims at large about Islamophobia within the Conservative Party have fallen on deaf ears.
"We have taken this step after an unprecedented number of cases have been brought to our attention, suggesting a culture within the Conservative Party where Islamophobia is not only widespread, but institutional. We now request the EHRC to look at all the evidence and investigate this matter with great urgency."