Human rights watchdog urged to investigate Labour Party over antisemitism row

'We charge that the party has, through years of deliberate or reckless dereliction of its duty to enforce its own rules, created an atmosphere in which Jewish members and/or associates are discriminated against'

The Campaign Against Antisemitism staged a protest in Parliament Square along with other Jewish community groups and their supporters last month (Rex)

The UK’s human rights watchdog has been urged to investigate the Labour Party as pressure continued to mount over Jeremy Corbyn’s handling of the antisemitism row.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) referred the party to the Equality and Human Rights Commission and made a complaint to Labour about comments by Mr Corbyn.

The CAA’s letter to the equality watchdog said: “We charge that the party has, through years of deliberate or reckless dereliction of its duty to enforce its own rules, created an atmosphere in which Jewish members and/or associates are discriminated against.”

The organisation also issued a fresh complaint – its third – about Mr Corbyn to Labour.

The CAA seized on comments made by Mr Corbyn in 2012 when appearing on Press TV, the Iranian state-owned broadcaster, in which he linked a massacre of 16 Egyptian policeman to Israel.

It also claimed Mr Corbyn hosted a 2010 event in parliament where speakers compared “Israeli actions in Gaza to the slaughter of Jews during the Holocaust”, and said the Labour leader failed to intervene.

Labour has insisted Mr Corbyn is a “militant opponent of antisemitism”.

Gideon Falter, chairman of the CAA, said: “The evidence shows beyond all doubt that Jeremy Corbyn is an antisemite, and the Labour Party has become institutionally antisemitic. The problem is not one man but an entire movement which has hijacked the anti-racist Labour Party of old and corrupted it with a racist rot.”

A Labour Party spokesman said: “Labour is committed to rooting out antisemitism from our party and society. False and partisan attacks like this undermine the fight against antisemitism.”

One aspect of the CAA’s complaint was the party’s refusal to fully adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, including its examples.

The party spokesman said: “Labour has adopted the IHRA definition, which is reproduced word for word in our code of conduct, and the examples are expanded on and contextualised to produce legally robust guidelines that a political party can apply to disciplinary cases. IHRA says its text is not legally binding and therefore there is no basis to legally challenge the code of conduct.”

An Equality and Human Rights Commission spokesman said: “We have received the complaint and will consider it to see what, if any, action is needed.”

The charity’s actions came as a member of Labour Party’s ruling body apologised for offensive comments about Jews.

Peter Willsman called some members of the Jewish community “Trump fanatics” and suggested they were “making up” problems about antisemitism in the party.

He subsequently apologised, acknowledging the “offensive nature of my comments”, and has referred himself for equalities training.

Mr Willsman, who is standing for re-election to the National Executive Committee, said: “I recognise the offensive nature of my comments and that in diminishing the experiences of those who face antisemitism in our party and society, I showed a lack of the sensitivity required for discussions around racism.”

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson described the NEC member as a “loud-mouthed bully”, while Jewish Labour Movement chairwoman Luciana Berger said the comments were “sickening”.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews, made up of almost 300 deputies directly elected by synagogues and community organisations, said Labour had let Mr Willsman off lightly by not taking disciplinary action against him.

President Marie van der Zyl questioned whether Mr Corbyn and party general secretary Jennie Formby had witnessed the outburst at a meeting of the NEC.

PA