Two Labour MPs clashed with John McDonnell on live TV over the party’s handling of antisemitism, hours after MP Chris Williamson was suspended.
On Wednesday it was announced that the party was investigating Mr Williamson's “pattern of behaviour”, following complaints about his actions over the Labour antisemitism row – but declined to initiate further disciplinary measures.
After an outcry from MPs, he was suspended, and the Labour whip was withdrawn.
Appearing on ITV’s Peston on Wednesday evening, Mr McDonnell denied the party had been too slow to act.
The shadow chancellor clashed with backbenchers Wes Streeting and Lisa Nandy after insisting that the handling of a previous antisemitism case involving an MP in 2016 – Naz Shah – was a “shining example” of how to deal with complaints.
Ms Shah, Mr McDonnell’s parliamentary private secretary (PPS) at the time, was suspended she posted a Facebook meme that suggested Israelis should be moved out of the Middle East.
She later apologised, and was readmitted.
But Ms Nandy said: “I was in the Shadow Cabinet at the time and I was trying to get answers out of the leader’s office.
“I was live on telly being asked questions about it. It had been going on at that point for 24 hours and no action had been taken.
“And the official line coming out of the party was ‘We’ll draw a line under it’. And that changed under pressures from members of the shadow cabinet and members of the PLP.”
Mr Streeting then blamed a “senior member of staff responsible for strategy and communications” for the delay in suspending Ms Shah, arguing there is a “blind spot at the heart of the leader’s office” on Jew-hate.
Mr McDonnell said: “I’m sorry, Wes, that is just unfair. I dealt with Naz. I think it is a shining example of how we deal with things effectively.
“The issue for me then was: why weren’t we quicker on other cases as well? And we’re learning those lessons.”
Labour has been approached for comment.
