An article headlined “Riverside Labour branch secretary defies leadership with letter supporting 'emergency meeting' on Corbyn and EHRC report”, published on November 2, 2020, claimed that Kal Ross, Secretary of the St Michael's branch of Liverpool Riverside Labour Party, had defied the party's leadership by calling for an emergency meeting to discuss the publication of the EHRC report.  

It justified this claim by including a quote from Labour General Secretary David Evans, who it stated had said that discussion of the EHRC report was "not competent business" for party meetings. However, this did not reflect in full the comments made by David Evans, which were that “any motions or discussions that seek to question the competence of the EHRC to conduct the investigation in any way, or repudiate or reject the report or any of its recommendations, are not competent business and must be ruled out of order”.  

There was no suggestion that the meeting proposed by Kal Ross sought to question the competence of the EHRC, criticise the report’s findings, or otherwise “defy” Labour Party guidance. This correction has been published following an upheld ruling by the Independent Press Standards Organisation. 

See here for more on this ruling

A Liverpool Riverside Labour Party branch secretary has emailed members urging them to support an “emergency meeting” to discuss the publication of the EHRC report and the suspension of Jeremy Corbyn.

Writing on official Labour Party-headed paper, Kal Ross, secretary of the St Michael’s branch, said he and “the chair” were both supportive of the idea, suggesting if there was “sufficient support” for the meeting among members it would go ahead.

The emailed letter appears to openly defy Labour General Secretary David Evans’ message to all Labour Party branches and members which said that discussion of the EHRC report was  “not competent business” for meetings.

In his own response to the EHRC report, published last Thursday, Sir Keir Starmer said the watchdog’s findings were clear and “leave no room for equivocation”.

It would also seem to breach strict party rules about the discussion of an ongoing disciplinary case – with Mr Corbyn having been suspended after challenging the findings of the EHRC report last week.

Last October the JC revealed how the Riverside St Michael’s branch had called for a debate to demand the resignation of their former MP, Dame Louise Ellman, on Yom Kippur.

A  motion said: "We have no confidence that our MP Louise Ellman will carry out the wishes of our CLP and our Riverside constituency or that she will follow Labour Party policy.”

It adds: “This branch therefore call on our Riverside MP, Louise Ellman, to resign.”

The Jewish Labour Movement called it  "truly despicable" and the "racially motivated targeting and bullying of a Jewish MP".

Dame Louise eventually announced her resignation from the party, and has been replaced in the seat by Labour’s Kim Johnson.

In his post-EHRC press conference, Sir Keir said: “To the people driven out of our party, the Jewish members driven out of Parliament, including Louise Ellman and Luciana Berger. And to the members of Labour Party staff who spoke out, I want to say this: I know how hard these last few years have been for you.”

The JC has approached the Labour Party for comment on Monday.