Politics
JVL co-founder Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi expelled from Labour Party
The pro-Corbyn activist says that she will appeal the decision
December 16, 2022 10:31
By, Politics Reporter
1 min read
The pro-Corbyn activist says that she will appeal the decision
December 16, 2022 10:31ByBen Bloch, Politics Reporter
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, co-founder of Jewish Voice for Labour, has been expelled from the Labour Party.
It is understood that her expulsion is as a result of her support of organisations that have been proscribed by the party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).
She was suspended from the Party in September after speaking at an event held by now-proscribed group Resist, one of the four far-left organisations banned by Labour in July last year for downplaying claims of systemic antisemitism within the party.
Resist was founded by disgraced former MP Chris Williamson, who was suspended from Labour following repeated controversial interventions in the party’s antisemitism crisis.
While celebrating my 70th birthday on December 15, I heard from friends that Jewish Chronicle reporter Lee @lmharpin was claiming confirmation from "multiple sources" that I had been expelled from the Labour Party. Thread 1/5
— Naomi4LabNEC (@Naomi4LabNEC) December 16, 2022
Her suspension meant that she was unable to take up her post on Labour's NEC, and her access pass to Labour's conference at the end of September was revoked.
In a Twitter thread on Friday morning, Ms Wimborne-Idrissi said that according to a letter she had received from the party, an NEC panel had concluded that she broke party rules by supporting proscribed organisations Resist, Labour In Exile Network, and Labour Against The Witchhunt.
Membership of these proscribed groups is in breach of the Labour Party rulebook, which bans support for organisations that are "inimical with the aims and values of the Party."
In her Twitter thread, Ms Wimborne-Idrissi complained that the ruling had been leaked to a Jewish News journalist, which she said was "in breach of Labour Party rules."
She added: "My treatment demonstrates the hostile campaign to which LW [left-wing] Labour Party members are being subjected, including disproportionate numbers of Jewish members."
She said that she will appeal her expulsion, saying that she disputes that speaking at events organised by proscribed groups is a "prohibited act".
This is not the first time that Ms Wimborne-Idrissi had been suspended by the Labour Party. In late-2020, she was suspended after she backed claims about the “weaponisation” of antisemitism allegations within Labour at a meeting of the Chingford and Woodford Green local party, while she was vice-chair. She received a formal warning and her membership was reinstated.
The Labour Party has been approached for comment.
READ MORE: Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi backs ‘diplomatic relations’ with Hezbollah and Hamas