It was important and right that Labour’s conference approved the rule changes the party had been instructed to make by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.
But the idea that some have sought to push that Sunday’s vote in favour of the changes represents some sort of triumph for the party, for Keir Starmer or for the Jewish community, and that we can all now happily embrace Labour once more without reservation, is grotesque.
The clue is in the word ‘instructed’. Labour had no choice but to adopt the rule changes. The EHRC’s damning investigation required it to do so. It deserves no credit for simply agreeing to obey the law.
And a substantial number of delegates — around a quarter — refused to support the new rules. They believed, in other words, that the right for the party to provide a home to antisemites was more important than acting lawfully.
After the changes were approved, Sir Keir Starmer said that Labour had “closed the door on a shameful chapter in our history”. Yes, Labour has passed some rule changes it was required to do by law. But it is risible to suggest that it has “closed the door” on antisemitism. Almost every week this newspaper still has to report on the actions of Labour members who remain fixated on Jews.
Many of those who were suspended are now being let back in — not least Jeremy Corbyn himself.
This week’s rule changes are a start. But they are baby steps on a journey the party has barely started to take.
