Labour MPs have warned against appointing any senior party officials before the publication of an inquiry into a leaked internal report into antisemitism in Labour. The report alleged that hostility to Jeremy Corbyn had hampered efforts to tackle the problem. In a sign of continued anger over an issue that threatens to disrupt Keir Starmer’s attempts to reunite the party, MPs also said the inquiry should report to Labour’s national executive committee, not to Starmer’s office. One said that any party officials who were implicated should be suspended while the inquiry took place. Thirty MPs from Labour’s socialist Campaign Group released a joint statement Monday evening calling for an inquiry into the report, which they said “contains revelations of senior officials undermining the 2017 general election campaign and suggests there are cases to answer on bullying, harassment, sexism and racism”.
Shortly afterwards a joint statement from Starmer, who is now Labour’s leader, and Angela Rayner, the party’s deputy leader, announced an “urgent independent investigation” into the report and how it was leaked. While the terms and timescale of the inquiry have yet to be unveiled, several MPs on the left of the party have argued that it should be clearly independent; some want a hiatus in top-level appointments. While no names have been mentioned this will be seen in part as a reference to mooted attempts to remove the party general secretary, Jennie Formby, a close ally of Corbyn. The 860-page document, seen by the Guardian, was intended to be submitted as an annex to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission inquiry into Labour’s approach to antisemitism. The document talks about these efforts being hampered by “a hyper-factional atmosphere” in Labour’s HQ, and shows what are said to be leaked WhatsApp messages showing hostility from some officials to Corbyn and his team. Paula Barker, the Liverpool Wavertree MP, who was among those who signed the joint statement, said she was concerned that the announced inquiry did not go far enough, and that while the data protection implications of the leak were important, the inquiry had to look beyond this. “We mustn’t let that get in the way of getting to the bottom of this. There has to be a root and branch investigation. Because at the end of the day, our people, our members or activists, they deserve nothing less than that.” It would, she added, be “inappropriate” to make any senior party appointments during the inquiry. “Whoever may end up at a senior level in our party, I would hope that a robust vetting programme is conducted.” Bell Ribeiro-Addy, the MP for Streatham, who is another signatory to the statement, said action was needed before the inquiry was completed. “Where there is evidence of a clear breach of party rules members expect that individuals are suspended from the party pending an investigation.” She added: “It would not be helpful to appoint anyone named in the report, whilst they are under investigation. It could call into question the outcome of any inquiry, whilst we are trying to end factional tensions, not create even more.” Other MPs, speaking anonymously, reiterated this, and said the inquiry had to be rapid and independent. One said: “It’s got to report to the NEC, and it can’t be dragged out. Members deserve this, and only a firm response will restore their faith in the party.” Another MP said: “It really has to look independent. There’s a lot of feelings of mistrust in the party.” One senior MP said Starmer faced a hugely difficult task over the leaks. “We all knew there was open hostility from some party officials to Jeremy’s side, but to read it in black and white is very sad for a lot of people. “We need to learn from this – it’s just the opening salvo of the two factions fighting again. If Keir isn’t careful he’ll spend the next few years having to be a referee. There’s an argument that the only way through it might be to make examples of people from both wings of the party.” A spokesman for Starmer said: “Keir and Angela have announced plans to set up an independent inquiry. The terms of that inquiry will be spelled out in due course.” Starmer and Rayner later wrote to Labour MPs saying the party’s NEC would set the terms of reference for the inquiry.