Labour members guilty of “clear cases” of anti-Semitic behaviour should automatically be thrown out of the party, a shadow cabinet minister urged today.
Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, piled pressure on Jeremy Corbyn ahead of a BBC Panorama programme tonight, which was expected level fresh anti-Semitism claims against the party.
“I think we have got to take decisive action,” Sir Keir told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“Firstly, I would support a rule change that says you expel in clear cases of anti-Semitism automatically, just as we do for people who support another political party at an election.
“Secondly, be very clear if you deny we’ve got a problem, that’s part of the problem.
“Thirdly — and this is a cultural and attitude issue — now the Equality and Human Rights Commission is looking at the Labour Party, we should throw open the books and say, ‘You’ve got access to anything, you have got access to any member of staff, we have made some process changes which have improved things but we have still got a problem, help us through this’.”
His comments came after three senior peers resigned the Labour whip in protest at the handling of the issue under Mr Corbyn’s leadership.
Lord Triesman, a former Labour general secretary and foreign office minister, said the party and its leadership are “institutionally anti-Semitic”, a claim rejected by party chiefs, while Lord Darzi and Lord Turnberg also quit the Labour whip.
Sir Keir said their decision reinforced “the sense of duty” that party bosses had to do “whatever is necessary” to make sure that people “feel that they can return to the Labour Party with confidence”.
He said it was “very easy for people in leadership positions”, including the shadow cabinet, to “duck responsibility”, adding: “Many organisations circle the wagons when they are challenged. That is the wrong approach, we have got to be very, very open.”
Seven former Labour officials are expected to make fresh claims in tonight’s Panorama programme.
Party chiefs were hit with a backlash after threatening some of them with legal action if they breached non-disclosure agreements.
