Leaked email reveals senior member of his staff opposed suspending member who defended infamous Tower Hamlets mural
March 5, 2019 13:53
Jeremy Corbyn "either lied or was allowed to mislead us", an angry MP has said, as leaked e-mails showed a senior member of his staff intervened to oppose a Labour member's suspension, contradicting the Labour leader's previous claim this did not happen.
The Times reported on Tuesday that Laura Murray - who was seconded to party’s complaints unit to help process the party’s antisemitism cases just the day before - had told the party's head of disputes that a woman should not be suspended immediately, despite him suggesting in an earlier email she should be.
The member had defended the Tower Hamlets mural that used antisemitic tropes in depicting bankers enslaving humanity - and which Mr Corbyn had apologised for also defending in 2012 when it was due to be removed.
“While it is only one Facebook post, it relates directly to the mural itself which the Party & Jeremy have acknowledged is antisemitic," the head of disputes had written in a March 2018 email, leaked to The Times.
Ms Murray replied an hour later, recommending the member should not be suspended if they had not “made any other comments which are perceived to be antisemitic”, as this would mean that member “hasn’t displayed any specific antisemitic attitudes herself, more just general ignorance and lack of education".
The news infuriated MPs and Jewish organisations, whom Mr Corbyn assured his office had not been intervening in cases of alleged Jew-hate when they met him last March.
MP Ruth Smeeth described the latest revelations as “a disgrace”, while Wes Streeting said the situation “stinks”.
Ms Smeeth said: “This completely undermines any residual faith we can have in the complaints process. This clearly isn’t independent by any definition as professionals in Labour HQ are asking for political permission and signoff for how to handle antisemitism cases.
“It’s a disgrace and demonstrates that not only is the system not fit for purpose but that political interference on the side of antisemites is normal behaviour. Big changes are needed if we are ever to have faith in the leadership of the Labour party.
Mr Streeting said: “It is now crystal clear that members of staff in Jeremy Corbyn’s office were directing Labour party staff on how to handle antisemitism cases in writing, copying in virtually every senior member of staff in Jeremy Corbyn’s office.
“This directly contradicts what we were told and what Jewish community leaders were told by the Leader of the Labour party. Either he lied to us, or he didn’t know and his staff sat silently around him and allowed him to mislead us. Either way, it stinks.
“That a staff member involved in watering down sanctions has just been seconded to the Governance and Legal unit by the General Secretary adds insult to injury and calls into question the judgements being made even now.
“I honestly don’t know how this can be reconciled. This isn’t just about process, it’s about political culture and leadership. What we do know is that when Jeremy Corbyn says zero tolerance, either he doesn’t mean it, or the people working for him don’t listen to him.”
Board of Deputies Preisdent Marie van der Zyl said: "It is intensely disturbing to hear reports that the Labour leader’s office has intervened to stop the suspension of a member who defended an antisemitic mural in East London.
"Labour has long told us that complaints are expedited independently.
"This case would indicate that there is something less than ‘zero tolerance’ for antisemitism in the leader’s office and shows contempt for the concerns of the Jewish community."
A Labour spokesperson said: “Since becoming general secretary, Jennie Formby has made procedures for dealing with complaints about antisemitism more robust.
"Staff who work on disciplinary matters have always led on investigations and recommendations on individual cases. Any suggestion that staff in the leader’s office overturned recommendations on individual cases is categorically untrue.”
On Monday, Mrs van der Zyl had issued a joint statement with chair of the Jewish Leadership Council chair Jonathan Goldstein and the CST's Mark Gardner, condemning Mr Corbyn for assuring them his office did not intervene in disciplinary cases, when they met him alst April after the Enough is Enough demo.
“We asked for his personal leadership on antisemitism and were explicitly told that he does not intervene in individual cases because it is all handled by the NEC (National Executive Committee]," they said.
“This latest revelation shows that cases were routinely referred to his office for their advice and direction. Whether it was a brazen untruth or an inept mishandling of a serious issue is almost irrelevant at this point.
“The conclusion is the same – the Labour leadership cannot be trusted on this issue and vindicates our request for a genuinely independent, mutually agreed ombudsman to oversee Labour’s handling of antisemitism disciplinary cases.”
On Monday, the JC reported that Rachel Riley had instructed a lawyer to pursue a claims gainst Ms Murray, after the Corbyn staffer wrote that the Jewish TV presenter had tweeted: “Corbyn deserves to be violently attacked because he is a Nazi.”
Ms Riley said Ms Murray was "libelling" her and had misrepresented her comment.
