Labour given week extension to respond to antisemitism claims

The Labour Party has been granted a week-long extension to respond to allegations of antisemitism raised by the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC).

The EHRC contacted Labour earlier this month to set out its concerns about antisemitism in the party and requested a response.

Labour was given two weeks to provide a satisfactory response before the equalities watchdog would consider whether to launch a formal human rights investigation.

But it has been revealed Labour has been given more time to respond to the concerns set out by the EHRC.

“They came back and had some questions and they needed a little bit of time,” an EHRC spokesperson told the Jewish News.

The party has until April 1 to respond to concerns set out by the equalities watchdog before it could consider whether to launch a formal probe.

The equality watchdog said earlier this month it believes Labour may have “unlawfully discriminated against people because of their ethnicity and religious beliefs”.

The probe follows complaints from the Jewish Labour Movement and Campaign against Antisemitism.

The last time a statutory probe was launched by the body was in relation to the Metropolitan Police.

If such an investigation is opened, the commission could compel the party to reveal details of its handling of antisemitism cases including through internal communications like emails and texts.

The Labour Party has been approached for comment.