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Labour suspends Liverpool Momentum co-chair over alleged antisemitism
He allegedly shared messages on social media that used antisemitic tropes around philanthropist George Soros
August 21, 2019 15:59
He allegedly shared messages on social media that used antisemitic tropes around philanthropist George Soros
August 21, 2019 15:59The co-chair of pro-Corbyn campaign group Momentum in Liverpool has been suspended by Labour pending an investigation over allegations of antisemitism.
Chris Cavanagh – who is a close ally of suspended MP Chris Williamson – is accused of sharing messages on social media that contravened party rules including several that used antisemitic tropes around philanthropist George Soros.
The JC can reveal that Mr Cavanagh, a member of West Derby Labour Party, was informed of his suspension from the party earlier this month.
It is unclear whether he has also been suspended from his role as co-chair of Liverpool Momentum.
Last July, Mr Cavanagh had helped organise a Momentum meeting as part of Chris Williamson’s ‘Democracy Roadshow’ in which the Derby North MP - now facing expulsion over his repeated interventions in the party’s antisemitism crisis – attempted to unsettle Labour MPs deemed unloyal to Jeremy Corbyn.
During the meeting at Liverpool’s Quaker Meeting House, which the JC attended, one speaker was loudly applauded after he said: “What could be a greater threat to our democracy than a foreign government who is trying to veto the person we want for Prime Minister?
"Of course, I'm talking about the Israelis with their foot soldiers in Labour - the LFI [Labour Friends of Israel], the JLM [Jewish Labour Movement]. They are trying to take our democracy away from us.”
Mr Cavanagh, who works as a parenting coordinator for Liverpool City Council, has deleted his social media after being told he was the subject of several complaints from Labour members angered by his repeated use of the Soros trope.
Ahead of his election as Momentum co-chair, he wrote: "In his If I am selected as vice chair I will continue to support Liverpool Momentum and Momentum nationally in moving forward to bring real change in helping a Labour government into power.
"I joined the Labour Party in 2010 after the Tory/Lib Dem coalition government came into power.”
A Momentum Spokesperson told the JC: "We take complaints very seriously and any allegations of racism will be swiftly dealt with."
The JC has approached Labour and Mr Cavanagh for comment.
In Liverpool Wavertee, a Labour activist who led protests calling for a by-election to replace Jewish MP Luciana Berger, has been chosen as the party’s candidate for a local council election.
Will Shortall, a member of the Merseyside Pensioners Association which has previously dismissed antisemitism allegations as “lies”, will stand for election in the Old Swan ward.
Last month, Cllr Peter Brennan was forced to stand down as Labour councillor there and resign as Lord Mayor after it emerged he had shared a racist video in which a black person was compared to a monkey.
A Labour Party spokesperson said:“The Labour Party takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously, which are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken. We cannot comment on individual cases.”
