Senior Labour figures have challenged leadership candidate Rebecca Long-Bailey's claim to have lobbied Jeremy Corbyn behind the scenes to act over antisemitism.
The Shadow Business Secretary - who has had to deny she is the "continuity Corbyn" candidate - claimed in an interview with Sky News' Sophie Ridge on Sunday to have been "quite vocal" on the issue under Mr Corbyn's leadership and spoke to "various members" of the party's ruling National Executive Committee (NEC).
But Alun Davies, a former Welsh government minister and member of Labour's NEC himself, disputed her claim, tweeting: "I don’t remember you saying anything on this at NEC meetings or supporting those of us who raised these issues."
— Alun Davies 🏴 (@AlunDaviesMS)
January 12, 2020
The JC also spoke to a second source familiar with NEC meetings that Ms Long-Bailey attended, who had "no recollection" of her "challenging anyone in the leadership over antisemitism."
It is understood that Mr Davies - who was appointed to the NEC by Welsh Labour leader Carwyn Jones in September 2016 - remained on the body until February last year.
He and another source were present at meetings when antisemitism was discussed on a number of times.
Ms Long-Bailey would often remain largely silent during meetings of Labour's executive - and on several occasions was not present in the room, but would dial in by telephone on these occasions to register her vote on issues, the JC understands.
In an article for the Jewish News, Ms Long-Bailey wrote that she had supported her local council in adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism.
In her Sky News interview, Ms Long-Bailey also said Mr Corbyn "does" bear personal responsibility for the failure to stem the tide of antisemitism from within the party.
On Sunday Ms Long-Bailey tweeted her support for the Board of Deputies' 10 pledges it urged candidate to commit to in order to deal with the problem.
She was joined by fellow leadership candidates Sir Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy, Emily Thornberry and Jess Phillips in supporting the list of pledges.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Sir Keir said: “We should have done more on antisemitism. If you are antisemitic you shouldn’t be in the Labour party. It is not complicated.”
He added: "It seemed to me that if you have been chucked out of the Labour Party for supporting another political party, you should be chucked out for being antisemitic."
