Labour genocide row fuels calls for anti-Semitism rule

Holocaust row: Jackie Walker
YouTube
Kate Proctor29 September 2016
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Jewish Labour members today vowed to continue their fight to ensure that tackling anti-Semitism is written into the party rulebook as disciplinary action was expected against a Jeremy Corbyn-supporting activist who reportedly criticised Holocaust Memorial Day.

Footage of Jackie Walker, vice chair of the Momentum movement which supports the party leader, shows her asking at a Labour party conference fringe event: “Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Holocaust day was open to all peoples who’ve experienced Holocaust?”

She was then told the day was for all post-Second World War genocides.

Ms Walker also said she had not heard a definition of anti-Semitism she could “work with”.

It is understood a complaint will be made to the party’s compliance unit, and disciplinary action could follow.

The Jewish Labour Movement has called for the activist to resign from Momentum, and the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust said it was “shocked and saddened” by the remarks.

Ms Walker was readmitted to the party in May after a suspension for alleged anti-Semitic comments about the slave trade. The Labour party said it did not comment on individual members.

Today a renewed push began to ensure action on anti-Semitism is written into Labour’s rulebook, following fury from Jewish members that it was not discussed at the conference.

Vice-chair of the Jewish Labour Movement Mike Katz today said he was disappointed the issue had not been prioritised by the party’s National Executive Committee. He said: “We’ve heard strong words from Jeremy Corbyn in his speech but as we saw in the response from the entire conference, the party wants action to be taken. The party wants something to be done now and it’s a shame that we do not have a rulebook that is as well equipped to deal with this issues as it could be.”

The Jewish Labour Movement and the Finchley, Streatham and Chipping Barnet constituency parties want Labour’s constitution to include disciplinary action for those who express anti-Semitism. Unless there is a special constitutional conference during the year, the change will not be formalised at the 2017 conference.

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