Corbyn responded to the report by saying that while he condemned anti-Semites, the scale of the problem under his leadership had been “dramatically overstated for political reasons.”
Those comments drew a swift and dramatic response from the party. “In light of (Corbyn’s) comments made today and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation. He has also had the whip removed from the Parliamentary Labour Party,” a party spokesperson said.
The decision rocked the British political world: Less than a year ago, at the December 2019 general election, Corbyn was bidding to be Prime Minister.
Corbyn said he would “strongly contest” the decision to suspend him.
Earlier on Thursday, Corbyn said in a statement that he worked to “speed up — not hinder” the investigation of complaints.
He added: “One anti-Semite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media. That combination hurt Jewish people and must never be repeated.”
“Never again will we fail to tackle anti-Semitism and never again will we lose your trust,” Starmer added.
Caroline Waters, interim chair of the EHRC, said in a statement Thursday: “Our investigation has highlighted multiple areas where its [Labour’s] approach and leadership to tackling anti-Semitism was insufficient.”
“This is inexcusable and appeared to be a result of a lack of willingness to tackle anti-Semitism rather than an inability to do so.”
A longtime leftwinger, Corbyn had put forward an avowedly socialist program for government at last December’s election. But it was was rejected by voters, who re-elected the Conservative Party under its latest leader, Boris Johnson. Corbyn quit the Labour leadership, to be succeeded in April by Starmer, who has pursued a less radical agenda.
The Labour party was in last power in Britain from 1997 to 2010.
Source : Nbcnewyork