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Labour antisemitism report tells members to stop using ‘Hitler, Nazi and Holocaust metaphors’

'Epithets such as 'Zio’ and others should have no place in Labour party discourse going forward'

Ashley Cowburn
Political Correspondent
Thursday 30 June 2016 11:48 BST
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Labour has concluded its inquiry into antisemitism within the party’s ranks and recommended that members resist the use of Hitler, Nazi and Holocaust metaphors

It adds: “Epithets such as ‘Paki’, ‘Zio’ and others should have no place in Labour party discourse going forward”.

The inquiry, which was led by former head of rights group Liberty, Shami Chakrabarti, also adds that it does not recommend lifetime bans from the party.

The independent inquiry was launched in April after Mr Corbyn came under considerable pressure to stamp out antisemitism in the Labour party following the suspension of his long-time ally Ken Livingstone and Labour MP Naz Shah.

Speaking at the launch of the inquiry Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, said:

“The Jewish community has made an enormous contribution to our party and our country. Jewish people have been the heart of progressive and radical politics in Britain as elsewhere not just over a century but other many centuries. But they are also a minority amongst minorities and have good cause to feel vulnerable and even threatened throughout history.”

“We must also be vigilant against subtler and invidious manifestations of this nasty ancient hatred and to avoid slipping into the traps by accident or intent. For the avoidance of doubt I do not believe in name calling and I never have. ‘Zio’ is a vile epithet that follows in a long line of earlier such terms that have no place whatsoever in our party.

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