Labour's in-house lawyer, who was appointed to deal with disciplinary issues, is a member of a hard-left group that opposes the IHRA definition of antisemitism, John McDonnell has said.
The shadow chancellor appeared at the conference of the Labour Representation Committee on Saturday, where he praised General Secretary Jennie Formby’s appointment of Gordon Nardell QC.
Mr McDonnell said the lawyer provided “sound, absolutely sound, and often unchallengeable legal advice” on disputes, including those involving allegations of Jew-hate.
He then added that Mr Nardell is actually “a member of the LRC if I recall rightly”.
Mr McDonnell said Mr Nardell was “a brilliant lawyer and at the same time has demonstrated independence of mind throughout and that is demonstrated through all the years I’ve known him in different aspects of his roles, and demonstrated courage as well in standing up for basic human rights.”
In December, the JC revealed the LRC had issued a manifesto saying “anti-Zionists” were being expelled from Labour while “more and more councils are adopting the IHRA definition and examples of antisemitism and using it to discipline workers.”
It added that allegations of antisemitism were “intended to weaponise the accusations of antisemitism against Labour. Such allegations must be challenged politically, and it is why the passing of the resolution by 2018 Labour Conference and the accompanying waving of Palestinian flags was so important”.
The JC has approached Mr Nardell for comment.
Mr McDonnell referred to Mr Nardell’s membership of the LRC as he addressed delegates at the organisation’s annual conference on Saturday.
He was condemned on Sunday for appearing to defend Jackie Walker, the former vice-chair of Momentum who was suspended by Labour after saying Jews financed the global slave trade and questioning Holocaust Memorial Day.
But a transcript of Mr McDonnell’s remarks to the LRC conference - published by Jewish Voice For Labour - reveals he also pledged to take up Ms Walker's complaint that she was being denied “natural justice” because of comments by MPs, including Dame Louise Ellman.
Ms Walker told the shadow chancellor that Dame Louise was using media appearances to "call me out as an antisemite and demand that I am expelled".
Mr McDonnell said of Ms Walker: "I can understand now why she’s so angry.
"I’ve just seen some of the scale of abuse that she’s been getting. I hadn’t heard about Louise Ellman and the ones this week until Graham (Ms Walker’s husband) contacted me yesterday.
"I’ll take that up with Jeremy and the general secretary too.”
Labour has confirmed Ms Walker’s disciplinary hearing over allegations against her will take place on March 26, more than two years after she was suspended.
