Labour have “taken action” to stop anti-Semites voting in leadership race

By Justin Cohen, News editor, Jewish News

The Labour Party today claimed to have barred known anti-Semites from having a say in its leadership election following concerns about racist sentiment expressed by some supporters of Jeremy Corbyn.

The party said last month it was looking into a complaint from Bassetlaw MP John Mann, chair of the Parliamentary Committee against anti-Semitism, over a number of anti-Semitic and abusive messages on social media.

A Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party condemns all forms of discrimination and abuse. We have taken action to prevent anyone voting in our leadership election whom we have evidence of being anti-Semitic or racist and we have a robust process of vetting to ensure only those who share and support Labour aims and values can participate in this election.”

However, the party did not respond to requests from the Jewish News for specifics including about how many people have been barred

Mann pointed to messages including one claiming Hillary Clinton is in the pockets of big business and the Zionists” and another referring to “Zionist bankers”. Mann, the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee against Antisemitism, was himself was referred to as a “Nazi Zionist”.

Former Tory MP Louise Mensch has also highlighted a number of anti-Semitic tweets by Corbyn supporters. One wrote “Jew and Zionists own the whole world” and another said: “f**k Israel and f**k Jews, they are the c**ts ruining the planet”.

After being accused of the not speaking out enough against anti-Semitism among his upporters, a spokesman for Corbyn told the Jewish News last week: “Anyone who has been found by the party’s procedures committee to have been responsible for anti-Semitism should definitely be removed from the process of electing the leader.”

Mann said: “Action is now needed and I recommend that the Labour Party liaises with the CST to identify all those using anti-Semitic abuse in order that they can be expelled as Corbyn proposes.”

Mark Gardner, director of communications at the Community security Trust, said: “CST thanks John Mann for hois typical determination in trying to deal with this. We hope the labour Party now plays its part in the matter.”