Jeremy Corbyn will not return as Labour MP, says Sir Keir Starmer

Reuters

Jeremy Corbyn will not sit as a Labour Party MP in the Commons, Sir Keir Starmer says.

The former leader was reinstated as a member of the party on Tuesday, having been suspended over his response to a human rights watchdog report on anti-Semitism in Labour ranks.

But his successor said his remarks had "undermined... our work in restoring trust" with the Jewish community.

Sir Keir said he would keep his decision under review.

Board of Deputies of British Jews president, Marie van der Zyl, said Sir Keir had "taken the appropriate leadership decision", adding Mr Corbyn had been "shameless and remorseless for what he has put the Jewish community through".

But former shadow chancellor and close ally of Mr Corbyn, John McDonnell, said the move was "just plain wrong" and would cause "more division and disunity in the party".

• Labour suspends Corbyn over anti-Semitism reaction
• What does the Labour anti-Semitism report say?
• A guide to Labour anti-Semitism claims

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) published a report last month, saying Labour had broken the law over its handling of anti-Jewish racism complaints by party members during Mr Corbyn's tenure.

Sir Keir, who took over the party in April, said those who think the issue had been "exaggerated" should "be nowhere near the Labour Party".

But later, Mr Corbyn released a statement, saying the scale of anti-Semitism had been "dramatically overstated" by his opponents, and he was suspended by the party.

On Tuesday, the former leader attempted to clarify his position in public, saying "concerns about anti-Semitism are neither 'exaggerated' nor 'overstated'".

Later that day, a panel of five National Executive Committee members met to discuss Mr Corbyn's case and what action to take, before deciding to reinstate him as a member of the party.

'Judged on actions'

Despite the decision from the panel of Labour's ruling body, Sir Keir decided not to reinstate the party whip in the Commons for Mr Corbyn.

In a statement, the new leader said: "I have made it my mission to root out anti-Semitism from the Labour Party. I know that I will judged on my actions, not my words.

"The disciplinary process does not have the confidence of the Jewish community. That became clear once again yesterday."

He added: "Jeremy Corbyn's actions in response to the EHRC report undermined and set back our work in restoring trust and confidence in the Labour Party's ability to tackle anti-Semitism.

"In those circumstances, I have taken the decision not to restore the whip to Jeremy Corbyn. I will keep this situation under review."

What is the party whip?

PA Media

MPs sitting in the House of Commons on behalf of a party are given what is called "the party whip".

It allows them to represent their chosen party and stand for them in elections, as well as ensuring they receive a letter about forthcoming parliamentary business, detailing the position the party is taking.

Having the whip taken away is considered a serious punishment by a party.

While the MP can keep their seat in the House, they are classed as an independent and cannot run for the party in the next election, unless that whip is restored.

Shadow justice minister Peter Kyle tweeted in support of his leader, saying: "We always knew tackling the cultural problems allowing anti-Semitism to exist in Labour would take time.

"We knew there would be moments that challenge and test us.

"The last 24 hours were unnecessarily difficult but Keir Starmer has acted authoritatively. We are moving forward."

Labour MP Margaret Hodge - who is the parliamentary chair of the Jewish Labour Movement - also supported the move.

She said Mr Corbyn had "refused to himself accept the findings of the EHRC report, refused to apologise for his actions and refused to take any responsibility", so it was right to withhold the whip.

But her colleague on the backbenches, former shadow justice minister Richard Burgon, said his former boss "should immediately have the whip restored".

He added: "At a time of national crisis, division in the Labour Party serves nobody but the Tory government."

And Jon Lansman - who founded the Corbyn-supporting Momentum movement within Labour - said the decision had "driven a coach and horses through the party's disciplinary process".

He said it made it "subservient to the parliamentary party" and "embedded 'political interference'", which the party was condemned for in the EHRC report.

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November 19, 2020 at 01:48AM

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54986916