British Labor Party accused of negligence in the fight against anti-Semitism.
Shaken by internal conflicts for several years, Labor has been the subject of an investigation by the Committee for Equality and Human Rights (EHRC), an independent body of the party, which has just released its findings.
The facts in question date back to the years when Labor was led by the far left Jeremy Corbyn, swept aside by the Conservatives of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the December 2019 elections.
"This report is hard to read and it is a day of shame for the Labor Party," said his successor since April, Keir Starmer, on Thursday (October 29th), apologizing again for the party's attitude.
"Labor will never let you down again, never again will we fail to tackle anti-Semitism and never again will we lose your trust," he said, promising to implement all of the recommendations. .
"Illicit acts"
In her presentation of the report, the Acting Chairperson of the Committee for Equality and Human Rights addressed "inexcusable" shortcomings resulting from "a lack of will to tackle anti-Semitism rather than an inability to do so. to do".
In its 130-page text, the Committee concludes that Labor has "committed unlawful acts".
Labor now has a legal obligation to set up, in agreement with the commission, an action plan to remedy this by December 10, failing which it risks prosecution.
Jeremy Corbyn, 71, wrote on Facebook that he does not accept "all" of the report's findings and that he ruled out any personal failure in the fight against this scourge.
"In light of his comments," the party "suspended Jeremy Corbyn" and opened an investigation, a Labor spokesperson said.
Without going as far as exclusion, the Party however takes the risk of rekindling its divisions by sanctioning its former leader (from 2015 to 2020), still deputy, who had transformed Labor into the first party in Europe in terms of number of members with strong popularity in the activist base.
"Harassment, discrimination and political interference"
"We discovered examples of harassment, discrimination and political interference" during the investigation, underlines the committee in its report, strangling the deficiencies of the leadership of the party.
The investigation found that "a significant number of complaints relating to anti-Semitism have not been investigated at all", particularly on social media.
The party "must now produce an action plan to implement our recommendations", underlines the Committee, recalling the commitments of the team of Keir Starmer in this regard.
"The recommendations are clear, fair and achievable" and aim to ensure that the party fulfills its commitment to "zero tolerance" in the face of anti-Semitism.
Islamophobic messages
In a joint statement, several Jewish organizations said the report represents a "damning verdict on what Labor has done to the Jews under Jeremy Corbyn and his allies."
The Conservative Party, recently shaken by cases of Islamophobic messages on social networks, has meanwhile accused Keir Starmer of remaining by Jeremy Corbyn's side "when the reins" of Labor were left to "anti-Jewish racists" .
"If Starmer is serious," he must "rule out Jeremy Corbyn," said Amanda Milling, co-chair of the Tories.
Since his arrival at the head of the party, Keir Starmer, more centrist and Europhile than his predecessor, has endeavored to settle the legacy of his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.
At the end of June, Starmer had ousted Rebecca Long-Bailey - designated as Corbyn's heiress - from the party leadership, for sharing an article on social networks containing "an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory".
Then, in July, the new management agreed to pay large damages to former employees who had criticized the party's response to anti-Semitism.
Decision then qualified as "political" and "disappointing" by Jeremy Corbyn.
With AFP
The summary of the week
France 24 invites you to come back to the news that marked the week
I subscribe
Take international news everywhere with you!
Download the France 24 application
google-play-badge_FR