Tim Farron defends Lib Dem approach to Jew-hate, as Tory leader fails to attend inquiry

Sir Eric Pickles also appeared at the hearing, representing the Conservatives. His attendance was arranged the night before the hearing after repeated attempts to secure the appearance of the Prime Minister or Home Secretary failed.

We had the same problems that the Labour Party has and the Liberal Democrats have Sir Eric Pickles

The Tories were the only main party not to send its leader to speak to the committee.

Mr Farron was asked about problems within his own party, with Tim Loughton, the committee’s stand-in chairman, identifying Baroness Tonge, former Lib Dem peer, and David Ward, now a Lib Dem councillor, as having made comments “that could be construed as antisemitic”.

He said: “I consider it to be my job not to be in any denial about any problems we have had in my party, either in the past or currently. Do I think we have a systemic problem throughout the party? I don’t think the evidence shows that.

“But have individuals, in the past, behaved in a way or said things that are not acceptable? I would surely say that is the case.”

Mr Ward was the first Lib Dem MP to have had the party whip removed since the Second World War when he was suspended in 2013, the party leader said.

“Looking back at that incident… there are certainly plenty of lessons that could be learned from that process. To be blunt with you, we took far too long to deal with that particular issue,” Mr Farron admitted.

Mr Loughton asked how many “strikes” Liberal Democrats would be afforded when making offensive remarks, noting that Mr Ward “had form” and was “a repeat offender”.

Mr Farron said it was a “tricky” judgment to make as to whether someone was being antisemitic or racist, or “just provocative and offensive”.

“I won’t say we have dealt perfectly with the relatively small but still unacceptable number of incidents that have taken place, but we have dealt with them,” he added.

The rise in antisemitism across Britain demonstrated “a broader problem” that would “raise its head within every institution”, he felt.

Ranil Jayawardena, a Tory member of the committee, cited the case of a Jewish Lib Dem member who had left the party over concerns about the handling of antisemitism allegations and the stance on Israel.

Mr Jayawardena told Mr Farron: “The fact is that you are now not broadly trusted by the Jewish community. You are getting doors slammed in your activists’ faces.”

The Lib Dem leader responded: “I feel deeply concerned about it. As someone who believes we should live in a society where Jewish people are warmly embraced, it worries me deeply that Jewish people should feel anything other than welcome within our party.”

David Burrowes, another Tory committee member, asked about Facebook posts made by the Lib Dem Friends of Palestine group about Jews.

Mr Farron said he believed the posts were antisemitic. “When they were brought to the attention of party officials during conference, there was immediately a challenge to the Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine Facebook page moderator. Those comments were taken down immediately, but they are utterly unacceptable,” he said.

He made four references to interviews he has conducted with the JC as examples of his efforts to engage with the Jewish community.

Sir Eric, a former party chairman, told the panel: “I always had zero tolerance with regard to anti-racism and antisemitism. I listened to Mr Farron and we had the same problems that the Labour Party has and the Liberal Democrats have.

“You have to follow due process and due diligence and it is necessary to get the number of people together in order to suspend somebody.

“I hold the record: I managed to suspend someone in 18 minutes and 27 seconds for racist activities. It was not antisemitic; someone had been extremely derogatory about someone with Pakistani origins.”

Sir Eric was unable to explain a number of incidents of alleged antisemitism within his party, including one in which a Tory council candidate referred to Ed Miliband as “the Jew”.

In the case of another activist who claimed “the Jews own everything”, Sir Eric said the man “would have been out on his ear” if he was still party chairman.

David Winnick, a Jewish Labour MP on the committee, criticised the Tories for not sending a representative to the anniversary events marking 80 years since Cable Street last weekend.

Sir Eric said: “I kind of wish I had been there myself.”

The inquiry has previously heard from figures including Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader, and Ephraim Mirvis, the Chief Rabbi.

Although it was thought to have concluded in the summer, the latest session was added to allow the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives a chance to voice their thoughts on the issue. A report is due to be published on the committee’s findings.