Labour MP Margaret Hodge calls for EHRC to widen Labour antisemitism probe after JC email revelation

The veteran Labour MP for Barking also said that she had been told by “several sources” that “Corbyn’s inner circle have long discussed complaints using private email addresses - knowing this allows them to slip under the radar and avoid all scrutiny.”

The email the JC exposed that showed Andrew Murray, the Unite chief of staff who is on a secondment to work as Mr Corbyn’s chief adviser, had urged Labour officials to overturn the suspension of a councillor named Max Tasker.

Mr Murray sent the email from his Unite address to Labour staff including his daughter Laura Murray who is now the party's head of complaints.

A source had told the JC there was a “raft” of similar cases had been discussed in a similar manner.

A Labour spokesman said the claims were “baseless”.

The EHRC has the power to compel the Labour Party and Unite to hand over relevant information to assist with their inquiry into whether the party has victimised Jews.

Unite leader Len McCluskey has repeatedly tried to dismiss allegations of Labour antisemitism as “mood music”.