Labour has today published its Action Plan for Driving out
Antisemitism from the Labour Party which has been approved by the
Equality and Human Rights Commission.
This Action Plan is the party’s formal response to the report
that was published following the EHRC’s investigation into
antisemitism in the Labour Party. It sets out the steps that the
party will take to implement the report’s recommendations,
including:
- Establishing an independent process to investigate complaints
of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, sexual harassment and any
discrimination based on protected characteristics. The Leader,
the Deputy Leader and their offices will have no involvement in
deciding the outcome of individual complaint cases
- Appointing external lawyers to advise on NCC antisemitism
panel hearings
- Addressing the backlog of antisemitism cases
- Strengthening social media guidelines and due-diligence
checks for prospective Labour candidates
- Setting up an Advisory Board composed of members from the
Jewish community and a Reference Group to ensure transparency and
increase trust and confidence in our procedures
- Developing all education and training programmes on
antisemitism in consultation with Jewish stakeholders.
The party will meet regularly with the EHRC to monitor its
progress in implementing the plan.
In the plan’s foreword, the Leader and Deputy Leader of
the Labour Party, and , said:
“Since we were elected to the leadership of the Labour Party
earlier this year we have made rooting out antisemitism our
number one priority.
“The Equality and Human Rights Commission report on antisemitism
in the Labour Party is incredibly difficult reading for everyone
who loves our party and wants it be a force for good. But its
findings were clear and stark: the Labour Party breached the
Equality Act in terms of unlawful harassment and indirect
discrimination towards our Jewish members.
“We failed the Jewish community, our members, our supporters and
the country. That is why we must act to drive antisemitism out of
our party and change the processes, structures and the culture of
the party to ensure Jewish people feel safe to return to their
political home.
“That requires more than just words. It requires action.
“The Action Plan for Driving out Antisemitism from the Labour
Party published today sets out concrete steps and a timetable to
do this.
“First, we will change the way complaints of antisemitism and all
other forms of racism are handled.
“We will be establishing an independent process to investigate
complaints of antisemitism, Islamophobia, racism, sexual
harassment and any discrimination based on protected
characteristics.
“To ensure there is no inappropriate political input into
decisions neither the Leader, the Deputy Leader nor our offices
will have any involvement in deciding the outcome of individual
complaint cases, and we will employ external lawyers to advise
antisemitism panel hearings. We will also address the backlog of
antisemitism cases.
“We will not hesitate to sanction those who breach our rules and
regulations.
“Social media guidelines will be strengthened and candidates
wishing to represent the party will undergo greater due diligence
checks.
“Second, we commit to greater transparency in our complaints
processes to increase trust and confidence in our procedures.
“To implement this Action Plan effectively we will set up an
advisory board composed of members from the Jewish community and
a reference group to act as a sounding board and critical friend.
“This action plan will help us act decisively against
antisemitism in all its forms. It will hold us to the highest
standard and ensure we neither miss incidences nor accept denial
or excuses.
“Restoring trust with the Jewish community and changing our
party’s culture will take time and hard work, but we will do it.
“As a party, we know we have a mountain to climb. But our
determination is undimmed – and our commitment to getting it
right is absolute. We will only consider this work a success when
members who left our party because of antisemitism feel safe to
return.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
