The UK’s human rights watchdog, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), recently released a report that is proving catastrophic for the weakening legacy of the former Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn. The explosive report found the Labour party legally responsible for anti-Semitic discrimination and political interference, despite its stated zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism in 2016. The much-anticipated investigation concluded that there were “serious failings” in the Labour leadership to tackle anti-Semitic comments and to handle complaints. The review informs the public that there has been “a clear breakdown of trust between the Labour Party and the Jewish community.”

The Guardian described the report as a “particularly serious finding” and condemned the Corbyn-led party’s inadequate process for handling antisemitism complaints.

SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS

During Jeremy Corbyn’s four-and-half year leadership term, the Labour party faced constant controversy over a number of anti-Semitic allegations against both party members and supporters, which led to a series of high-profile suspensions. Bradford MP Naz Shah was disciplined for making offensive comments on Facebook; the former London mayor Ken Livingstone was suspended and later quit in 2018 following a long-standing row over claims that Hitler was a Zionist; and MP Chris Williamson was also suspended for comments made about the party being “too apologetic.”

While Labour members were suspended over discriminatory comments, members of the Jewish community were unimpressed with the overall reaction from the Labour leadership, questioning why a stronger stance against anti-Semitic behaviour had not been taken. 

Although abuse on the internet is sadly not uncommon for MPs, the situation within the Labour party was unique. Jewish Labour MPs and members faced regular discrimination and harassment in local party meetings, with Dame Margaret Hodge informing Parliament, “it feels that my party has given permission for antisemitism to go unchallenged.”

THE REPORT AND ITS FINDINGS

The ECHR is an independent body that safeguards and enforces the laws that protect people’s human rights in the UK. It was commissioned to review the alleged anti-Semitism in the Labour party in 2019 following whistle-blowers’ accounts. 

Under the Equality Act 2006, the EHRC has legislative powers to carry out an investigation of this kind. However, the report is considered extremely significant given that the EHRC has never undertaken a statutory inquiry into a major political party before. The investigation aimed to determine whether the employees or agents of the Labour party “committed a breach of the Equality Act 2010, related to Jewish ethnicity or Judaism”. It also looked into the extent to which recommendations from previous reports had been implemented.

Overall, the report cites three breaches of the Equality Act by the Labour party: harassment, political interference in anti-Semitic complaints, and a failure to provide adequate training to members of the party handling such complaints. Importantly, the report decries that at best, the party “did not do enough to prevent antisemitism, and at worst, could be seen to accept it.”

Alasdair Henderson, the EHRC’s lead investigator, explained that there was obvious political obstruction by staff, with a mighty 23 instances of inappropriate involvement uncovered in the report. He found that the leadership office was operating under discriminatory and unlawful precedent. “A failure of leadership” is one of the final sections of the report, potentially holding Corbyn accountable for negligence within the party.

While there was little force behind adequate training for the prevention of antisemitism at all levels of the party, the party contrastingly enforced exemplary training methods against sexual harassment, following the #MeToo movement. Unfortunately, it demonstrates that antisemitism was not given the same priority as other issues.

GOING FORWARD

Sir Keir Starmer, the current Labour leader, said the report’s findings signalled “a day of shame for the Labour Party”. Hours later, he suspended Corbyn from the Labour party. The former leader made a reactionary statement to the EHRC’s report, stating that antisemitism in the Labour party was “overstated”. Corbyn was later readmitted to the party, but did not have the Parliamentary Labour whip restored, meaning he continues to sit as an Independent MP. 

Starmer has promised to accept the ECHR’s recommendations in full and provide a plan within six weeks. By condemning Corbyn’s inaction and subsequently calling for his suspension, Starmer and his shadow cabinet hope to convince Jewish Labour supporters, Jewish members and Jewish Labour MPs that they will be protected going forward.

In a joint statement, three of the UK’s main Jewish organisations – the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust – said that they welcome Sir Keir Starmer’s sentiments but that “the scale of the challenge that lies ahead should not be underestimated”.

On a domestic scale, the EHRC report has vindicated many Jewish members of the UK community, guaranteeing that their concerns will no longer be overlooked. On a global scale, the report sends a clear message of intolerance for anti-Semitic conduct, at any level. The EHRC’s investigation has shown promise in the human rights sphere, proving that at a time of rising populism across the globe, these infringements of liberties were confronted.

Rosie is currently studying Human Rights MA at UCL, following time spent volunteering in Colombia and working in Canada. She holds a BA in French and Spanish from the University of Nottingham and is passionate about feminism, migrant and refugee issues, and the intersectionality of the climate crisis and its effect on human rights.