Jewish Labour group to hold no-confidence vote in Corbyn as antisemitism row deepens

Labour’s only officially affiliated Jewish group is set to hold a no-confidence vote in Jeremy Corbyn within weeks amid fresh tensions over the handling of antisemitism complaints within the party.

The Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) is braced to vote on the unprecedented motion at its annual general meeting, which claims the party is "institutionally antisemitic" and Mr Corbyn's leadership, combined with his past actions and associations shows "a complete disregard for the Jewish community in Britain".

Members of JLM, which has been affiliated to Labour nearly a century, will also consider a separate motion that describes the entire leadership as antisemitic and vows to support deputy leader Tom Watson's efforts to set up a new social democrat grouping in the party.

The row comes after JLM opted to “stay and fight” for the party at an emergency meeting last month, after deliberating whether to sever its ties with Labour over the antisemitism row that has dogged the party.

Jewish Labour MPs Dame Margaret Hodge, Ruth Smeeth and Dame Louise Ellman joined around 200 JLM members for an emotional meeting on how the group should respond to the row, resulting in an overwhelming vote to stay.

However the motions, sent to JLM members and seen by The Independent, show the group is far from happy.

One motion, which will be decided by delegates, said there was a "culture of antisemitism from party members, an institutional culture enabling and sustaining it, and a culture of denial that such a problem even exists".

It read: "That blame for both the crisis of antisemitism within the Labour party and the party’s failure to deal with it therefore ultimately rests with Jeremy Corbyn.

"Jeremy Corbyn is therefore unfit to be prime minister and that a Labour government led by him would not be in the interest of British Jews."

If it is approved by delegates in April, JLM will be compelled to issue a proclamation saying it has no confidence in Mr Corbyn and saying it will not campaign for MPs or councillors who it does not consider allies against antisemitism.

A Labour spokesperson said: "Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party are fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and its organisations."

“Antisemitism complaints received since April 2018 relate to about 0.1 per cent of our membership, but one antisemite in our party is one too many.

"We are determined to tackle antisemitism and root it out of our party.”

It comes after the UK’s equality watchdog said it would consider whether Labour has “unlawfully discriminated” against the Jewish community following complaints from groups including JLM.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) said it will look at whether to use enforcement powers against the party in relation to the allegations.

Once the EHRC’s formal letter is received by Labour, the party will have 14 days to respond. The commission will then take enforcement action, which could include a full-blown investigation.

Update. This article has been updated to make clear that Jewish Labour Movement is the only Jewish group officially affiliated with the Labour party. It is not the only Labour Jewish group. 22/3/19