LabourList blog by Sienna Rodgers
The suspension of the Labour whip from has had a timescale of three months applied to it,
though I’m told this is “reviewable” and could be shorter or
longer depending on what happens next. This is pending an
investigation under Parliamentary Labour Party rules, about which
there is little detail so far. It is understood that Corbyn’s
lawyers are challenging the latest developments, making some of
the same arguments as those put forward by Corbyn-supporting
members of Labour’s national executive committee who have written
a joint letter to general secretary . The full
details
can be found here.
The effect of the NEC’s disciplinary process being concluded is
that both Corbyn allies on the ruling body have become more vocal
and local parties more willing to consider motions that may be
considered “incompetent business” by the party. Dulwich and West
Norwood Labour last night passed, by 87 votes to 34, a motion of
no confidence in the general secretary calling “for the NEC to
take immediate steps to remove him from office”. A number of
other local parties have passed motions calling for the whip to
be restored to Corbyn, including at least one – Rushcliffe – that
has clearly expressed support for Corbyn’s response to the
Equalities and Human Rights Commission report.
The Jewish Labour Movement has sent an email to its members this
morning offering “practical guidance in line with our duty of
care” in response to such motions. The affiliate organisation has
also touched on some of the points raised by LabourList
reporting around the dilemma that the party now faces: does it
pause the processing of all complaints or continue trying to
clear the backlog as Starmer’s spokesperson suggested this week?
JLM has announced that it expects Labour to suspend all NEC
antisemitism disputes panels. This does seem to be the most
logical route, but it is complicated by the uncertain path to
implementing a new independent process without party conference
as
explained here. JLM has also revealed that it was in “formal
dialogue” with the party until yesterday but this is “now under
review”. It is a worrying consequence of Labour’s poor handling
of the Corbyn suspension, particularly as the EHRC recommended
engagement with the Jewish community as an action in itself.
See also:
Suspension
of Corbyn’s Labour whip is for three months but reviewable
The
contradictions at the heart of the row over Corbyn’s
reinstatement
