Labour Party monitoring by equality body ends, EHRC confirms
The Labour Party will no longer be monitored by a key equality body following a scandal surrounding antisemitism among its membership during the Corbyn era, the EHRC has said.
Human rights institution the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) will now end its work with the party, after the regulator confirmed it was content with the actions taken.
It followed an investigation of the party in October 2020 which found unlawful harassment and discrimination and prompted recommendations to ensure equality law compliance.
EHRC boss Marcial Boo said progress had been reviewed and monitoring concluded at the end of last month.
He said he was “satisfied that the party had implemented the necessary actions to improve its complaints, recruitment, training and other procedures to the legal standards required”.
Boo continued: “No organisation is above the law.
“Every employer and every public body must take active steps to address racism and all other forms of illegal discrimination.
“We are pleased our investigation and action plan has had the desired impact in this case.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer will today say the decision is an “important moment in the history of the Labour Party”.
He will pay tribute to all those “who have made it their mission to restore, renew and rebuild Labour on behalf of the country.
“It is thanks to them that we can say firmly, proudly, confidently: the Labour Party has changed”.
Starmer is also set to apologise to the Jewish community on behalf of the party.
He will say: “Today, on behalf of the entire Labour Party, I say sorry. What you have been through can never be undone. Apologies alone cannot make it right”.
Adam Langleben, from the Jewish Labour Movement, said the party had been “unsafe” for Jewish people under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership.
“This is a hugely significant moment for the Labour Party and for British politics,” he said.
“The Labour Party we see today is unrecognisable from what the party had become under Corbyn.
“Jews can once again call Labour their natural home and have no concerns about voting for it. That this is the case is a testament to the leadership shown by Keir Starmer.”
Corbyn’s response to the EHRC’s findings – describing them as “dramatically overstated” – resulted in his suspension as a Labour MP.
He said: “One antisemite 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. My sincere hope is that relations with Jewish communities can be rebuilt and those fears overcome.
“While I do not accept all of its findings, I trust its recommendations will be swiftly implemented to help move on from this period.”