Yahoo News Jeremy Corbyn ducks meeting on anti-Semitism as he’s warned over 'drop in membership'
![Fresh demands were made today for Jeremy Corbyn to make investigations into alleged anti-Semitism by Labour members fully independent.Ahead of talks by the party’s most senior figures on anti-Semitism, deputy chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party Ruth Smeeth said only an independent process would “restore faith” in how the party handles complaints.The shadow cabinet yesterday decided not to fully endorse an independent complaints procedure, which deputy leader Tom Watson had called for, and instead refer cases to panels made up of members of Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee.Ms Smeeth, who is Jewish, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she was unhappy at the shadow cabinet’s decision which would give the Left-wing-dominated NEC a greater say over future complaints. She said: “The proposals sanctioned by the shadow cabinet that will be discussed today at the NEC just simply aren’t good enough."There’s still no independence. In fact, arguably, political power over anti-Semitism cases is going to be consolidated by political supporters of Jeremy Corbyn. We need a completely independent process that could restore faith for everybody.”The MP suggested an independent investigatory panel could be made up of former trade unionists, ex-police officers and lawyers.She said: “[It would be] an independent panel that… couldn’t be touched by any political interference from anyone within the Labour Party. “We’ve got politicisation of the process all the way through. The only way people like me, and I think people who are accused of anti-Semitism, will have any faith in the process is if it’s not seen to be driven by party political or different factions in the Labour Party.”Mr Corbyn’s team support an initiative which would allow the most serious cases to be referred to a special panel consisting of general secretary Jennie Formby and NEC officers. This would allow for speedier removal of anti-Semites from the party, according to Labour sources. The package would need to be approved by the Labour conference in the autumn.In the first six months of 2019 there have been complaints against 625 members relating to anti-Semitism. There were also complaints about 658 people who are not in the party.In 28 of the most serious disciplinary cases concluded by the National Constitutional Committee in this period, eight members were expelled, three received an extended suspension and four received a warning. One member received no action because the NCC found the charges to be unproven, and 12 members left the party.](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/.V0I_on8EkyvjaqNUKOkcw--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/evening_standard_239/8811c43a093d1a6fe1dc4ea9bb709517)
![Fresh demands were made today for Jeremy Corbyn to make investigations into alleged anti-Semitism by Labour members fully independent.Ahead of talks by the party’s most senior figures on anti-Semitism, deputy chair of the Parliamentary Labour Party Ruth Smeeth said only an independent process would “restore faith” in how the party handles complaints.The shadow cabinet yesterday decided not to fully endorse an independent complaints procedure, which deputy leader Tom Watson had called for, and instead refer cases to panels made up of members of Labour’s ruling body, the National Executive Committee.Ms Smeeth, who is Jewish, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme she was unhappy at the shadow cabinet’s decision which would give the Left-wing-dominated NEC a greater say over future complaints. She said: “The proposals sanctioned by the shadow cabinet that will be discussed today at the NEC just simply aren’t good enough."There’s still no independence. In fact, arguably, political power over anti-Semitism cases is going to be consolidated by political supporters of Jeremy Corbyn. We need a completely independent process that could restore faith for everybody.”The MP suggested an independent investigatory panel could be made up of former trade unionists, ex-police officers and lawyers.She said: “[It would be] an independent panel that… couldn’t be touched by any political interference from anyone within the Labour Party. “We’ve got politicisation of the process all the way through. The only way people like me, and I think people who are accused of anti-Semitism, will have any faith in the process is if it’s not seen to be driven by party political or different factions in the Labour Party.”Mr Corbyn’s team support an initiative which would allow the most serious cases to be referred to a special panel consisting of general secretary Jennie Formby and NEC officers. This would allow for speedier removal of anti-Semites from the party, according to Labour sources. The package would need to be approved by the Labour conference in the autumn.In the first six months of 2019 there have been complaints against 625 members relating to anti-Semitism. There were also complaints about 658 people who are not in the party.In 28 of the most serious disciplinary cases concluded by the National Constitutional Committee in this period, eight members were expelled, three received an extended suspension and four received a warning. One member received no action because the NCC found the charges to be unproven, and 12 members left the party.](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/b8ONwjzve.OFvxHHYayj7g--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTY0MA--/https://media.zenfs.com/en/evening_standard_239/ce2d07218211053ba98ea457725d4b0a)
Jeremy Corbyn ducked a showdown over anti-Semitism with Labour MPs tonight amid a warning that the row is triggering a “drop in membership”.
The Labour leader’s office said that shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer would be addressing tonight’s meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party despite an invitation for Mr Corbyn to field questions.
Today a Labour MP predicted a fall from the party’s estimated peak of 575,000 members in 2017 when the figures are released at the party’s conference in September.
Siobhain McDonagh MP, whose sister Margaret was a party general secretary under Tony Blair, said: “I think at Labour Party conference we are going to see a huge drop in membership.
“I am on resignation watch for my members all the time. I’ve lost about a third in Mitcham and Morden since 2017.
“People are saying they don’t want to be part of an organisation that could be implicated with being anti-Semitic.”
Her comments to the Standard come after she tweeted that Mr Corbyn should not “turn a blind eye to racism, however convenient it might be”.
The Labour leadership has been under criticism for the way it has reacted to a BBC documentary aired last week on how complaints of anti-Semitism have been dealt with by officials.
One of the whistleblowers, former head of disputes Sam Matthews, believes he has been defamed by the party and is planning on taking legal action. He broke his non-disclosure agreement to appear on the documentary.
In the programme, Corbyn advisers are accused of intervening directly in cases. Labour has described the programme as having no political balance and complained to the BBC.
Ms McDonagh said: “Sam is my constituent and I know he has been desperate.” Jewish MP Dame Margaret Hodge said today the atmosphere among MPs was one of “gloom” ahead of tonight’s meeting in Westminster.
She said: “There is gloom about the way the party leadership has reacted about what was moving testimony by committed people who were hard-working activists in the party.”
Those due to address MPs and peers later are expected to say they are disgusted at the way party whistleblowers have been treated.
It follows a weekend of infighting and recriminations in which deputy leader Tom Watson was branded a “f****** disgrace” by Corbyn-ally and Unite union boss Len McCluskey.
Mr Watson was accused of unfairly attacking general secretary Jennie Formby, who is undergoing chemotherapy, for allegedly failing the whistleblowing staffers and not properly dealing with anti-Semitism complaints.
Darren Jones MP, who runs the moderate Labour Future Britain group with Mr Watson, tweeted that Mr McCluskey had brought the Unite union into disrepute.
