PMQs: Stats battle overshadowed by Labour antisemitism row

Jeremy Corbyn chose to hammer home the effects of Tory austerity at PMQs today. Noting the slow growth forecasted by the Bank of England, he kicked off by asking the Prime Minister whether she blames “her shambolic handling of Brexit or her failed austerity policies” for the disappointing economic climate.

The Labour leader went on to criticise the government’s lack of industrial strategy, the benefits freeze pushing so many into poverty, government department workers being paid below the living wage, the Universal Credit roll-out and rising food bank usage. Labour MPs shouted “up!” as he listed the pressing Tory failures: income inequality, in-work poverty, child poverty, pensions poverty, homelessness.

But the row over whether Chris Williamson should be suspended from the Labour Party and have the whip removed ultimately overshadowed the debate. After the battle of statistics between the two leaders, Conservative vice-chair James Cleverly stood to raise the issue of the Labour MP’s comments on antisemitism. In the hours preceding PMQs, top Labour figures – from London mayor Sadiq Khan to GMB leader Tim Roache – had called on the party to take disciplinary action against Williamson.

So far, the party’s official response has been to issue a spokesperson statement calling Williamson’s comments “deeply offensive” and demanding an apology. Corbyn himself has not yet said anything. As PMQs was underway, Chris Williamson tweeted the full text of his apology (below). But deputy leader Tom Watson soon called it “heavily caveated” and tweeted that he would remove the whip if it were in his gift.

Responding to Cleverly’s intervention, Theresa May said losing Luciana Berger and keeping Chris Williamson summed up the Labour leadership. She concluded by calling on Corbyn to take further action and suspend Williamson. Although nobody in the Labour Party would happily take lessons on handling racism from the Tories, many party activists agreed with her cutting remarks today.