Activists suing Labour over leaked antisemitism report ‘fear being targeted if named’
The claimants' lawyer Jonathan Turner claimed the nine were at "risk of physical violence".
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A group of nine activists who are suing the Labour Party after their names appeared in a leaked report into antisemitism risk being targeted by “nutcases” and “neo-Nazis” if they are now identified again as those taking legal action, the High Court has been told.
In an anonymity application heard in the High Court of Justice Queens Bench division, sitting before Mr Justice Chamberlain the claimants’ lawyer Jonathan Turner said the nine were at “risk of physical violence”.
The barrister, who is also chair of the UK Lawyers For Israel group, also claimed there was a chance his clients “may be visited at home by extremists” if details of their addresses were put into the public domain.
Labour is being sued by the nine people who made complaints of antisemitism to Labour and whose details were included in an 850-page anti-Semitism report, which was leaked shortly after Keir Starmer replaced Jeremy Corbyn as party leader in April 2020.
The claimants are asking for £300,000 compensation in a claim brought against Labour for distress and injury to feelings.
But the party have sought to blame five former staffers for the leak of the report, which had been intended to be sent to the EHRC ahead of their report into Labour’s handling of antisemitism in the party under Jeremy Corbyn.
It was never sent to the equalities watchdog ahead of it being leaked onto the internet.
The High Court was told the leaked report “identified the claimants by name, stated they had made numerous complaints about antisemitism, and suggested the number and nature of their complaints had contributed to the failures to deal with antisemitism satisfactorily.”
It was claimed that “after the leak the report was rapidly circulated on the internet.. links to it were posted on extremist websites propagating Jewish conspiracy theories and on other websites accompanied by threatening comments.”
In a request for their anonymity application, the claimants’ lawyers argued of the “risk that public identification of them in the context of bring proceedings against the Labour Party would result in hostile and potentially violent actions against them by antisemites.”
In the High Court on Tuesday, Anya Proops KC, representing Labour said the party were “neutral” over the anonymity application, as was the lawyer representing the five former party staffers.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
