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Ex- Labour disputes chief facing calls to quit as Camden councillor after EHRC report

Thomas Gardiner was referenced repeatedly in the damning report into Labour's handling of antisemitism

November 1, 2020 13:56
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Labour’s former Director of Governance and Legal, Thomas Gardiner, is facing calls to resign as a councillor in Camden after he was referenced 20 times in the damning report into the party’s handling of antisemitism.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission report notes how Mr Gardiner was seconded into the then Labour General Secretary Jennie Formby’s office in April 2018 and permanently appointed into the role overseeing antisemitism complaints two months later.

Several witnesses claimed Labour’s leadership had installed Mr Gardner, who was an ally of Jeremy Corbyn, to ensure they could gain control of the complaints system.

While the EHRC report said they “make no findings as to the motivations behind his secondment” into the crucial role, there was evidence that Mr Gardiner “did take a decision-making, rather than purely advisory, role in some antisemitism complaints.”