LABOUR’S ability to deal with complaints was under scrutiny yesterday after the party chucked out Tony Blair’s former spin-doctor, Alastair Campbell.
His expulsion came on the same day that the country’s human rights watchdog announced a probe into Labour after reports of unlawful discrimination against Jewish people.
In an unprecedented development, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it had contacted Labour after receiving a “number of complaints” about allegations of anti-Semitism within the party.
The EHRC said part of the investigation would assess whether or not Labour “responded to complaints of unlawful acts in a lawful, efficient and effective manner”.
In a statement, Labour said it would “co-operate fully” with the probe, but seemed to suggest the investigation was a result of Tory cuts to the EHRC’s budget.
The party said: “Labour is fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community, and is implacably opposed to anti-Semitism in any form.
“We reject any suggestion that the party does not handle anti-Semitism complaints fairly and robustly, or that the party has acted unlawfully, and we will continue to co-operate fully with the EHRC.
“We support the efforts of the EHRC to draw attention to the obligations all political parties have under the Equality Act. But its ability to do so has been undermined by a 70% budget cut since 2010.
“Labour is the party of equality and in government we will strengthen the powers and functions of the commission.
“There has been a deeply worrying rise in anti-Semitism in the UK and across Europe. We are taking action to root it out of our party by strengthening our rules and procedures.”
Jewish MP Luciana Berger, who quit Labour earlier this year because of the handling of anti-Semitism complaints, tweeted: “For anyone who might look to play this down, the threshold to initiate this process is extremely high.”
Campbell, who had his membership card taken off him after he admitted voting for the LibDems in the European elections, said it was surprising how quickly the party had come after him, given the length of time it took them to investigate cases of anti-Semitism.
The People’s Vote campaigner said he was “sad and disappointed” and that he would appeal against the decision.
He tweeted: “I am and always will be Labour. I voted LibDem, without advance publicity, to try to persuade Labour to do right thing for country/party. In light of appeal, I won’t be doing media on this.
“But hard not to point out difference in the way anti-Semitism cases have been handled.”
Labour MP Margaret Hodge tweeted: “Glyn Secker, who recently called me a fifth columnist & said Jews were in the gutter with rats, has also not been expelled yet. Priorities are all wrong.”
A Labour party spokeswoman said “support for another political party or candidate is incompatible with party membership”.
She added: “The LibDems cannot and will not end austerity. They cannot bring our country together or be trusted to deliver on promises.”
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