Labour investigating former candidate who suggested antisemitism crisis is attack on socialists

Labour is investigating a former parliamentary candidate in a key seat after he suggested the party’s antisemitism crisis was being used to attack socialists.  

Tony Lywood, who stood in Copeland in Cumbria at last year’s general election, said pro-Corbyn supporters like him were “cockroaches” the party leadership wanted to “eliminate”.  

Mr Lywood, who has not ruled out seeking selection in the seat at the next election, added: “Be no doubt about it, AS [antisemitism] is shorthand for anyone with left-leaning views. AS might as well be an acronym for Anti-Socialist.”  

Mr Lywood said he stood by his comments, made in a private WhatsApp group.

He also claimed there was a “McCarthyite” strain in his party, a reference to the communist witchhunts of the 1950s.  

Earlier this week two Labour councillors in Copeland resigned in protest at the suspension of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, after an official report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found serious failings in how the party tackled antisemitism while he was in charge.  

Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is now under increasing pressure to show he can draw a line under the issue, which has dogged his party for five years.  

Copeland is an important constituency for Labour, one the party must win back of it wants to be sure of victory at the next general election.  

Labour lost the seat for the first time in a by-election in 2017.  

The Conservative victory was considered so momentous it convinced Theresa May to call that year’s ill-fated general election, at which she lost her Commons majority.  

Despite the overall result, the Tories retained Copeland and have held it ever since.  

Responding to another member of the WhatsApp group who complained that he hated Sir Keir and “red Tories” within the Labour party, Mr Lywood said: “For them the house must be cleaned out and we are the cockroaches they want to eliminate”.   

Asked about his comments, Mr Lywood said: “There is in my view a McCarthyite thing going on in the Labour party whereby even the questioning of what has happened and the EHRC report is tantamount to being expelled or being suspended. I stand very solidly behind Jeremy Corbyn on this one. I don’t deny there is antisemitism in the party. But I think it is being used by those who have another agenda to hit Corbyn over the head, and hit the left over the head. 

“I stand by what I said.”

Euan Philipps, a spokesperson for the campaign group Labour Against Antisemitism, said:  “The Labour group on Copeland Borough Council appears embroiled in its own antisemitism crisis. It is clear further action needs to be taken against Tony Lywood.  

“Some of Mr Lywood’s alleged comments are unacceptable and should have no place in the Labour Party or anywhere else. We urge the Labour Party to take the strongest possible action and send the clear message that there is zero tolerance of anti-Jewish racism.”

Conservative MP for Copeland Trudy Harrison said:  “Sir Keir Starmer said he would act to stamp out antisemitism in the Labour Party.

“If he is going to stand by his word the Labour Party need to act.”

A spokesperson for Labour said: "The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken."