The leader of Barnet Council has criticised the Labour Party’s record on antisemitism following the publication of a damning report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC). 

Cllr Dan Thomas said the report confirmed antisemitism had become “institutionalised” in Labour under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn – and current leader Sir Keir Starmer was complicit as a former member of Corbyn’s shadow cabinet. 

The report, published on Thursday, reveals there had been unlawful harassment through the acts of Labour Party agents in two of the complaints investigated by the EHRC, which included the use of antisemitic tropes. 

It also states that there was discriminatory and unlawful political interference in the handling of individual antisemitism complaints. 

Cllr Thomas said: “This report confirms what we already knew – that antisemitism became institutionalised under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party.  

“The report highlights harassment of Jewish members, who were further harmed by the unlawful negligence of the leader of Labour Party.  

“Labour might pretend that everything has changed with their new leader, but it is important to remember that these same people campaigned to make Jeremy Corbyn prime minister just months ago. 

“Had they won, an institutionally antisemitic Labour Party that had unlawfully harassed and discriminated against Jews would have become the government of this country.” 

Cllr Thomas claimed current leader Sir Keir Starmer was complicit for having sat in Corbyn’s shadow cabinet for five years. 

Speaking at a media question and answer session after the publication of the EHRC report, Sir Keir said that while he was a member of the shadow cabinet he had spoken out on issues such as the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and rule changes that were needed within the Labour Party.  

Cllr Thomas also said the EHRC report showed claims such as those previously made by Barnet Labour councillor Cllr Sara Conway that antisemitism in the Labour Party had been “weaponised by certain media commentators” were false.

Cllr Conway, whose comments were reported by the Jewish News in September 2019, subsequently said she had used the wrong word and that she had been referring to far-right commentators, particularly on Twitter, who used the issue to create polarisation and division.

In response to the council leader’s statement, she said she had a “lifelong commitment to tackling antisemitism”, had never sought to downplay the problem of antisemitism in the Labour Party and that she fully understood the upset and pain it had caused. 

Cllr Conway added: “I welcome Labour Leader Keir Starmer’s acceptance of the EHRC recommendations in full and his pledge to implement them fully and quickly. It is because of his leadership on this issue that I feel more confident about the future as a Jewish member. 

“As a Jewish Labour Movement member, I would also like to thank them for their ongoing commitment to making Labour a safe space for Jewish members again.” 

Leader of Barnet Labour Cllr Barry Rawlings also welcomed the EHRC’s recommendations to address antisemitism in the party and Sir Keir’s pledge to implement them in full. 

Cllr Rawlings added: “The last few years have been painful for many of our Jewish members and supporters and a shameful period for the Labour Party. I am sorry for this.  

“In Barnet, during this time, Labour councillors have been doing all we can to tackle antisemitism by speaking out against it, by attending the Parliament Square protest against it, by calling on the Labour Party to put robust measures in place to tackle it, by lobbying the Labour Party to adopt the full IHRA definition of antisemitism, and by proposing a successful motion for Barnet Council to adopt the IHRA definition in full. 

“We will continue to be part of the fight against antisemitism wherever it emerges and to work to help restore the confidence of our Jewish communities.”