The Jewish Labour Movement has condemned the decision to reinstate Jeremy Corbyn to the Labour party, warning it would merely “embolden those who agreed with him”. JLM said the former party leader’s statement – in which he said concerns about antisemitism were neither exaggerated nor overstated – was “insincere and wholly inadequate”. The movement said he had “offered no apology for his total failure of leadership to tackle antisemitism” in the party.
“Once again we find ourselves having to remind the Labour party that Jeremy Corbyn is not the victim of Labour antisemitism – Jewish members are”. Criticising the process which led to Corbyn’s reinstatement, it claimed that while allegations of antisemitism were delayed and subjected to “political manipulation”, the disciplinary process was “expedited” for Corbyn. The Labour MP Margaret Hodge, one of Corbyn’s fiercest critics, said she could not comprehend the move, describing it as “a broken outcome from a broken system … factional, opaque and dysfunctional complaints process could never reach a fair conclusion.” “This is exactly why the EHRC [Equality and Human Rights Commission] instructed Labour to set up an independent process!” she tweeted.
“I simply cannot comprehend why it is acceptable for Corbyn to be a Labour MP if he thinks antisemitism is exaggerated and a political attack, refuses to apologise, never takes responsibility for his actions and rejects the findings of the EHRC report.” The Board of Deputies of British Jews called the decision to reinstate Corbyn a “retrograde step”. Its president, Marie van der Zyl, the Jewish leadership chairman, Jonathan Goldstein, and the community security trust chief executive, Mark Gardner, said: “Jeremy Corbyn’s dismissive approach to the damning EHRC’s findings rightly saw him suspended. “For Jeremy Corbyn’s allies on the NEC to expedite his case whilst hundreds of other cases languished under his tenure, and his confected non-apology earlier today adds insult to injury. “This politicisation of the process goes against what the EHRC recommended just last month. Labour’s mountain to climb to win back the trust of our community just got higher.” Jon Lansman, founder of Momentum, said he hoped the move would unite the party. “I think it will certainly help heal the divisions in the party unfortunately the divisions in the party are quite deep rooted. Anti semitism was fuelled by factionalism, and dealing with anti-semitism was also hampered by factionalism. I think suspending him made the divisions worse and I think this will heal them but there is a long way to go.” He suggested “some kind of peace and reconciliation process” to restore confidence and trust in party disciplinary processes. However, the staunch Corbyn ally Len McCluskey, general secretary of the Unite union, said the readmission was “the correct, fair and unifying decision”. “As a party we now move forward … and redouble our efforts to inspire voters about Keir’s 10 pledges and the transformation of our nations into fairer places for our people. Only Labour, united and strong, can bring this about.” The MP Nadia Whittome, who had expressed solidarity with Corbyn when he was suspended, also said she was “very pleased” with the decision. “It’s time for our party to move forward: implement the recommendations of the EHRC report, root out antisemitism and come together to fight against this dangerous government. We have big battles to win,” she tweeted.
Kate Osborne, Labour MP for Jarrow, tweeted: “Delighted that Jeremy Corbyn has been reinstated! #WelcomeBackCorbyn” Kim Johnson, the MP for Liverpool Riverside, and Zarah Sultana, MP for Coventry South, also both took to Twitter to welcome the news. “He has spent his whole life fighting for peace, justice and equality,” said Sultana. “That fight isn’t over.” However, another Labour MP, Neil Coyle, suggested the EHRC “may not be done” with the party after his readmittance. “The EHRC found the Labour party guilty of unlawful discrimination and instructed us to implement a new, independent complaints process and end political interference. “That could not be more demonstrably necessary. The EHRC may not be done with Labour yet.” And Mike Gapes, one of the seven MPs who quit Labour last year over Corbyn’s leadership, policies and “the anti-Jewish racism”, said: “This has now become defining watershed for Keir Starmer and the future of the Labour party.”