Tom Watson launches bid for tougher rules amid Labour antisemitism crisis
The party's deputy leader wants automatic expulsion of members where there is "irrefutable evidence" of racism or discrimination.
Wednesday 17 July 2019 09:23, UK
Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson has launched a bid to toughen up the party's rules to make it easier to expel members for antisemitism.
Along with fellow moderates on Labour's ruling national executive, he is demanding automatic expulsion of members where there is "irrefutable evidence" of racism or discrimination.
Mr Watson, veteran MP Sir George Howarth and three Labour councillors have tabled a motion to be debated at the executive next Tuesday, calling for rule changes to be approved at Labour's conference in Brighton in September.
Labour has been plunged into a new civil war by the aggressive reaction by Jeremy Corbyn's allies to a TV documentary which claimed they interfered in antisemitism investigations.
The party leadership claimed a BBC Panorama programme was inaccurate and biased and that Labour staffers interviewed for the documentary were "politically motivated" and "had an axe to grind".
The leadership's response prompted a backlash from senior Labour peers and more than 200 party staffers and was condemned by the chairman of the Parliamentary Labour Party, John Cryer, and other MPs at this week's PLP meeting.
Mr Watson has also faced bitter attacks from Corbyn allies - including an "expletive-laden" tirade from Unite general secretary Len McCluskey - after he criticised party general secretary Jennie Formby, who is battling cancer.
The motion demanding tougher action on antisemitism states: "Members who express racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic views have no place in the Labour Party.
"We need radical change and fresh thinking in our disciplinary rules to swiftly and fairly root out the evils of racism in our party and restore confidence in our processes."
:: Listen to Sophy Ridge on Sunday on , ,,
The motion calls on the executive to "bring forward rules changes to this year's conference that: automatically excludes a member from the party where there is irrefutable evidence of racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia or transphobia".
And it demands an "independent process to deal with disciplinary matters involving all forms of racism, sexism, misogyny, homophobia or transphobia.
"This is to also include the process for overseeing auto exclusion of members and any subsequent member appeals.
"We will invite the Bar Council, or another appropriate body, to appoint a person wholly independent from the Labour Party to devise the detail of this scheme, consult with Jewish and other communities and report back to the NEC."
:: Listen to Any Other Business on , , and
It comes as more than 60 Labour peers have taken out a full page advert in The Guardian to accuse the Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn of "failing the test of leadership" over antisemitism in the party.
It criticises Mr Corbyn for a "toxic culture you have allowed to divide our movement".