Pete Willsman urged to quit NEC by fellow left-wingers

Veteran activist reportedly called on to step aside from Labour's governing body amid the party's adoption of IHRA

4 September 2018, 6:35 pm

Peter Willsman arriving for a meeting of the Labour National Executive Committee in London. Photo credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Left-wing members of Labour’s governing body have urged veteran activist Pete Willsman to resign his seat on the NEC, Jewish News understands.

The National Executive Committee today agreed to adopt the full international definition of anti-Semitism following a widespread outcry over its previous decision to only accept seven out of 11 accompanying examples.

Sources indicated to the Jewish News, that before that same meeting members of the Momentum-backed slate urged Willsman to step aside, a day after his re-election to the body.

The ally of Jeremy Corbyn attacked some Jews as “Trump fanatics” in an earlier NEC meeting, where he was recorded demanding evidence of anti-Semitism cited by rabbis, and explaining how social media accounts can be “falsified very easily”.

Momentum withdrew their support after a recording of his comments was published, but voting had already commenced.