Politics
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi suspended by Labour again for speaking at event of proscribed group
The Jewish Voice for Labour co-founder can no longer take up her place at Labour’s NEC
September 23, 2022 13:00
The Jewish Voice for Labour co-founder can no longer take up her place at Labour’s NEC
September 23, 2022 13:00Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi has confirmed that she has been suspended from Labour for speaking at an event organised by a hard-left group in September last year.
The event was 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.
Ms Wimborne-Idrissi’s suspension means that she is no longer allowed to take up her place as a member of Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC), the 40-person body that meets next week at the party’s annual conference in Liverpool, despite being elected to it earlier this month.
In response to the suspension, Ms Wimborne-Idrissi wrote on Twitter: “No link of course to my appearance in Al Jazeera’s #LabourFiles series exposing multiple abuses within Labour. First one out tonight. Not to be missed.”
Ms Wimborne-Idrissi appeared last night in the first episode of a three-part programme about Labour’s antisemitism crisis under Mr Corbyn, made by the Qatari-backed television channel Al Jazeera.
In response to Ms Wimborne-Idrissi’s suspension, a Momentum spokesperson said: “This is yet another abuse of process by Starmer’s Labour. Naomi was elected by members just weeks ago, but the Labour machine has wasted no time in working to undermine party democracy.
“From Parliamentary selections to unfair suspensions, democracy is being disregarded in Labour.”
Ms Wimborne-Idrissi had previously been suspended by the Labour Party 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. That suspension was lifted shortly afterwards, with her instead receiving a formal warning.