closeicon
News

Corbyn ally accused of ignoring complaints against member accused of antisemitism and abuse

According to The Sunday Times Thomas Gardiner's department did not respond to the complaints about the member for five months

articlemain

DURHAM, ENGLAND - JULY 13: Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers his speech during the 135th Durham Miners Gala on July 13, 2019 in Durham, England. Over two decades after the last pit closed in the Durham coalfield the Miners Gala or Big Meeting as it is known locally remains as popular as ever with close to 200,000 people expected to attend this year. The gala forms part of the culture and heritage of the area and represents the communal values of the North East of England. The gala sees traditional colliery brass bands march through the city ahead of their respective pit banners before pausing to play outside the County Hotel building where union leaders, invited guests and dignitaries gather before they then continue to the racecourse area for a day of entertainment and speeches. Beginning in 1871 the gala is the biggest trade union event in Europe and is part of an annual celebration of socialism. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the Durham Miners’ Association. The gala is hosted by the DMA who also provide a range of services for its members, made up from former Durham miners, including compensation claims, benefit information, tribunal representation and legal advice. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

The ally of Jeremy Corbyn, who directed that a Labour member who posted an antisemitic image from a far-right website should not face immediate suspension because it was "anti-Israel, not anti-Jewish”, reportedly also declined to suspend another member accused of antisemitism and racially abusing a mixed-race employee.

According to leaked emails seen by The Sunday Times, Thomas Gardiner, Labour’s head of governance and legal, decided not to take action against a man who described former Labour MP Chuka Umunna as “black on the outside, blue on the inside.” 

When a mixed-race staffer objected to the member’s, description of Mr Umunna he reportedly responded: “You would say that, wouldn’t you?”

According to The Sunday Times, Mr Gardiner’s department did not respond to the complaints about the unnamed member for five months, saying a “huge influx of cases” and a administrative error was the cause for the delay. 

Action was taken after the mixed-race employee said they were “concerned and disappointed” by the delay and said they were worried about facing further racial abuse at party events.

A email sent in January by an aide to Mr Gardiner stated: “Thomas made a decision for a notice of investigation to be issued rather than a suspension. So this means the respondent is able to attend party meetings etc.”

A further email told the concerned staff member that their “comments below about anticipating further abuse will be passed on to the investigating officer.”

A Labour source told The Sunday Times that Mr Gardiner decided not to suspend the member because the alleged remarks were made online rather than in person.

However the member went on to post a story in April about Israel being behind the 9/11 terror attacks as well as an illustration of an airplane with a Star of David heading toward the Twin Towers. 

It is understood that Mr Gardiner suspended him after these posts.

Mr Gardiner was marred in controversy after the case of Kayla Bibby, who posted an antisemitic image of an alien with the Star of David on its back grasping the Statue of Liberty by the face, suggesting control over the US, was made public. 

Ms Bibby added the Facebook caption: "The most accurate photo I've seen all year!"

The case was examined last year and Ms Bibby, who attended Labour's conference in September as a delegate from the Liverpool Riverside constituency, was let off with a warning.

Emails leaked to The Times revealed Mr Gardiner rejected the suggestion by Labour Party staff to suspend her arguing that the images were “anti-Israel, not anti-Jewish.”

The news comes as a former complaints officer at Labour headquarters Tim Dexter told the newspaper that Mr Gardiner took over investigations and disciplinary proceedings into party members accused of antisemitism.

The Labour whistleblower who left the party just three months ago said Mr Gardiner seized control of "all" complaints over antisemitism.

Mr Dexter said Mr Gardiner, was given personal sign off of all complaints involving anti-Jewish racism.

He said Mr Gardiner refused to suspend one man who had called two Jewish MPs "Zionist c** buckets."

The party’s national executive committee (NEC) and shadow cabinet are expected to hold meetings next week in order to discuss Labour’s antisemitism crisis. 

Meanwhile the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) has written to every member of the shadow cabinet calling on them to end the “institutional racism in the party.”

Mike Katz, chair of the JLM, said that it may reconsider its long held association with the party if action is not taken on antisemitism.

JLM’s plea comes as a local constituency party called for the expulsion of Hilary Armstrong, a former chief whip, after she signed a letter which accused Mr Corbyn of overseeing a “toxic culture” of antisemitism in the party.

Ms Armstrong was one of 60 peers who signed a full-page ad in the Guardian accusing Mr Corbyn of “allowing antisemitism to grow in our party and presiding over the most shaming period in Labour’s history”.

Responding to the vote, Ms Armstrong: “This sadly shows how far the party has departed from its roots. 

“I’m not going to shy away from demanding that the party leadership take real and decisive action to rid antisemitism from the Labour party.”

Share via

Want more from the JC?

To continue reading, we just need a few details...

Want more from
the JC?

To continue reading, we just
need a few details...

Get the best news and views from across the Jewish world Get subscriber-only offers from our partners Subscribe to get access to our e-paper and archive