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Labour probes new NEC member following 'Israel apartheid state' posts
Momentum-backed Gemma Bolton wrote: 'If I run the risk of getting suspended for calling Israel an apartheid state then so be it. Suspend me'
November 16, 2020 11:34
Momentum-backed Gemma Bolton wrote: 'If I run the risk of getting suspended for calling Israel an apartheid state then so be it. Suspend me'
November 16, 2020 11:34Labour has launched an investigation into social media posts by a newly elected member of the party’s ruling national executive committee (NEC), including one which stated: “If I run the risk of getting suspended for calling Israel an apartheid state then so be it. Suspend me.”
Gemma Bolton was one of five left-wing candidates backed by the Momentum organisation to be voted on to the powerful NEC on Friday following an internal poll of party members.
The election for nine posts on Labour’s 39 person NEC had seen candidates loyal to previous leader Jeremy Corbyn lose influence on the body and current leader Sir Keir Starmer increase his overall support.
As one of the pro-Corbyn wing’s success stories, Ms Bolton, co-chair of the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD), said her victory was “a clear messages from our members for a socialist party.”
But a series of social media posts shown to the JC revealed the Mid-Sussex Labour Party member’s hardline views on Israel and her support for the deselection of MPs seen as being disloyal to former leader Mr Corbyn.
In August 2018, Ms Bolton tweeted: “If I run the risk of getting suspended for calling Israel an apartheid state then so be it. Suspend me.
“Because that comrades, is a hill I am perfectly happy to die on.”
In another tweet the following month she expressed her support for boycotting goods from Israel – writing “BDS works”, accompanied by three clapping emoji’s.
Labour has ruled out support for BDS becoming party policy.
In another message from August 2018 – at a time when staunch allies of Mr Corbyn including ex-MP Chris Williamson were embarking on campaigns calling for moderate Labour MPs to be deselected – Ms Bolton tweeted: “F**k your zodiac sign which Labour MP are you most excited to deselect.”
An active member of Labour’s South-East Regional Executive for the last four years, social media posts also show Ms Bolton’s fondness for sexually explicit humour.
One post from 2015 stated: “I’m torn between wanting to be a high class Westminster politician or a porn star.”
Asked to comment on Ms Bolton’s postings, a Labour Party spokesperson said: "The Labour Party takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken."
Ms Bolton did not respond when asked to comment on her posts.
Friday’s Labour NEC election results saw Luke Akehurst, also director of the grassroots We Believe In Israel group, easily top the vote of members.
Mr Akehurst was previously on the ruling body in 2012 but has remained a key ally of Jewish Labour members and is also a strong supporter of Sir Keir as party leader.
Two other allies of Mr Akehurst - Johanna Baxter and Gurinder Singh Josan – were also elected onto the NEC, while also supported by the Labour to Win grouping, Carwyn Jones landed the Welsh representative vote.
Overall the NEC election result means that while there were 18 solid supporters of Sir Keir’s leadership before the election there are now 21 out of the 39 people on the committee.
This is likely to have implications for the way Labour tackles issues such as implementing the recommendations of the recent EHRC report into the handling of antisemitism.
