How the labour movement has reacted to the EHRC antisemitism report

The Equalities and Human Rights Commission delivered its highly anticipated report into the Labour Party’s handling of antisemitism complaints today. Here is how Labour MPs and the rest of the labour movement reacted… 

Parliamentary chair of the Jewish Labour Movement Margaret Hodge MP: “This is a truly appalling day for the Labour Party. Under Corbyn’s leadership, Labour committed unlawful acts of harassment and political interference. This should never have been allowed to happen and this report must act as a watershed moment.”

Chair of Labour Friends of Israel Steve McCabe MP: “Today’s findings from the EHRC shows beyond doubt the extent to which the poison of antisemitism was allowed to enter Labour under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and further confirms the extent of the terrible abuse suffered by Jewish members of the party.

“We will support Keir Starmer to build on the work he has already begun to root out anti-Jewish racism and ensure that its perpetrators and defenders are removed from Labour’s ranks. Today must mark the moment Labour decisively turns the page on the darkest chapter of our party’s history.”

Shadow mental health minister Dr Rosena Allin-Khan MP: “Sorry to the Jewish community for the way Labour treated you. I repeated this many times during the deputy leadership election earlier this year and I meant it. There is no cause for jubilation just a feeling of deep, deep shame for the hurt our party has caused…

“For far too long, the party has failed our Jewish members, supporters and the wider public. The discrimination that the Jewish community faced from within the party was deplorable…

“Since his election, Keir Starmer has been taking action to rebuild trust with the Jewish community. Today, that work intensifies and I am pleased he has accepted, in full, all recommendations from the report. We must be unequivocal: the Labour Party will never let down the Jewish community again.”

Shadow Communities Secretary Steve Reed MP: “We as a party must fully accept and act on this report, listen to Jewish voices with humility and seek the forgiveness of the Jewish community. This is a painful day but a necessary one. It’s not about any one person, it’s about all of us and the values we stand for.”

Shadow schools minister Wes Streeting MP: “Keir Starmer speaks for all of us in response to the EHRC’s report. Please read the report and listen to the voices of the Jewish community. Their voices matter more than anyone else’s. The courage of campaigners has been limitless. I stand with the Jewish Labour Movement now and always.”

Meg Hillier MP: “We need to take this report and finally tackle the scourge of anti-Semitism after a shameful period in Labour’s history. As Keir Starmer says there is no place in the Labour Party for anti-Semites or those who deny the problem.”

Yvette Cooper MP: “Today’s EHRC findings are damning. It is truly shameful for our party. There can be no equivocation. We must change. We must never again let antisemitism corrode the Labour Party’s soul or leave members of the Jewish community to feel the pain & hurt of recent years.”

Socialist Campaign Group member Nadia Whittome MP: “Solidarity with Jewish communities on this difficult day. I’ll be reading the report in full and listening to Jewish voices before commenting, but what has always been clear is the urgent need to root out antisemitism, take all experiences of racism seriously, and rebuild trust.”

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn MP: “The EHRC’s report shows that when I became Labour leader in 2015, the party’s processes for handling complaints were not fit for purpose. Reform was then stalled by an obstructive party bureaucracy…

Former Labour Party general secretary Jennie Formby: “When I was appointed as general secretary in 2018, Jeremy Corbyn and his office had been asking Labour HQ to improve procedures but improvements had not been made.

“Under Jeremy Corbyn’s initiative, we brought reforms to conference which were passed by Labour members and affiliates, that enabled rapid expulsions…

“The record shows that as a result of the changes we made, Labour’s previously unfit processes were transformed, becoming more rapid, robust and more independent than any other political party.

Former Labour MP Louise Ellman: “The EHRC’s report is devastating. Today is a day of shame for the Labour Party. This landmark report exposes the shame of the Labour Party’s racism against Jewish people.

“For a supposedly anti-racist party, this is truly shocking. The report documents the ugly truth and shows the shameful depths to which the Labour Party has sunk. This seminal report musty lead to immediate action.

The Jewish Labour Movement: “As set out in forensic detail by the EHRC, the blame for this sordid, disgraceful chapter in the Labour Party’s history lies firmly with those who held positions of leadership – those who possessed both power and influence to prevent the growth of anti-Jewish racism but failed to act…

“In order to truly restore its reputation as the party of equality, we believe Labour, as well as fully implementing the action plan and recommendations set out in the report, must now set out bold and decisive steps to radically change the culture of our party.

“This will include pushing the Labour Party for a fully independent disciplinary process; preventing casual bullying, intimidation and harassment; implementing a proper education plan for party members and finally demonstrating strong, moral, decisive leadership.”

Statement from Open Labour: “We express full solidarity with Open Labour’s many Jewish members, Jewish members across the Labour and trade union movement, and the wider Jewish community, who have been impacted by antisemitism in the Labour Party over the last few years.”

“The outcome of the Equality and Human Rights Commission investigation should be of deep concern to anybody with a conscience. Open Labour believes the bullying, harassment and victimisation of Jewish members was allowed to fester because of a failure of leadership…

“Labour members must accept the findings of the report and enter the rebuilding process in good faith. We must support efforts to stamp out the antisemitism problem and work together to make sure our party can be an open and welcoming environment.”

Joint statement from Progress, Labour to Win and Labour First: “The publication of the EHRC report into antisemitism in the Labour Party is a dark day in our party’s history. No democratic socialist party… should ever allow anti-Jewish hatred to gain any ground within its ranks…

“Today is a day for those impacted by antisemitic harassment, discrimination and victimisation – both Jewish members and former members of Labour, and the wider Jewish community – to have their say about what they experienced…

“All three organisations are committed to supporting Keir Starmer as he implements all the recommendations of the EHRC report, and to a zero-tolerance approach which removes antisemitism from the Labour Party.”

Anti-racism advocacy group HOPE not Hate: “Those who led, ran and administered the Labour Party over this period have serious questions to answer, and the entire party from members to MPs and peers should reflect on this period and ask themselves how this was allowed to happen for so long…

“We agree with the report findings that the problems within the Labour Party could have been tackled more effectively if the leadership had chosen to do so, and that a culture of toleration, verging on encouragement was at odds with a professed ‘zero tolerance’ of antisemitism…

“The Labour Party needs to act. That action must include every single recommendation in the EHRC’s report – but these recommendations are just the starting point from which to make the party a welcoming and inclusive party for everyone.”

UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis: “This is an incredibly serious and damning report that everyone associated with the party and the wider labour movement must take very seriously.

“It will now be up to the whole Labour Party – led by Keir Starmer – to learn the vital lessons outlined in this shameful, distressing report, and repair ​its damaged relationship with the Jewish community.

“UNISON has always ​fought racism in all ​its forms, ​including anti-Semitism. ​The union urged Labour ​to tackle anti-Semitism in its ranks long before the EHRC investigation​… There must never again be any place for discrimination of any kind within Labour.”

Usdaw general secretary Paddy Lillis: “The first thing we must all do as people and organisations involved with the Labour Party is to acknowledge the profound hurt that has been caused to the Jewish community by Labour’s failure to deal with antisemitism.

“Keir Starmer is right to apologise on behalf of the Labour Party and we stand with him in doing so. There can be no excuses for the shameful behaviour found by the investigation and there can be no delay in the implementation of the EHRC’s recommendations.

Community union general secretary Roy Rickhuss: “This report is a stain on the Labour Party’s once proud record as the Party for equality. We should all be deeply ashamed by the findings.”

“There were clear failings at all levels of the party. This report shows this was not just a failure of process. Actions were taken that allowed antisemitism to flourish and the perpetrators to go unpunished.”

“Attention must now turn to the present and what Labour can do to fix our relationship with the Jewish community. We commit to working constructively with Keir Starmer and the Labour Party to tackle antisemitism and together we will not rest until it is rooted out.”

Young Labour national chair Miriam Mirwitch: “The past five years have been deeply painful for Jewish Labour activists. We have faced harassment and antisemitic abuse for being a part of the movement we love. The EHRC report is vital. Labour must apply all of its recommendations and have zero tolerance for antisemitism.”

Momentum founder Jon Lansman: “This [reading the report and listening to Jewish voices] is good thinking for anyone on the left who is tempted to leap in with both feet to comment on the EHRC report in a few minutes. Solidarity with all Jews, whatever their politics, who have suffered from antisemitic abuse in recent years!”

This story will be updated as further details emerge…