Labour is to unveil the party’s ‘action plan’ in response to the recommendations of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report into antisemitism at a meeting of its ruling national executive committee (NEC) on Monday.
The JC understands that Labour’s action plan takes on board the 18 key recommendations of the damning EHRC report – including the setting up of an independent complaints process to handle allegations of antisemitism, other forms of discrimination and bullying.
The party were given a 10 December deadline to produce a draft action plan in response to the findings and recommendations of the report released by the equality body.
Labour’s 39 person NEC will also be introduced to Jane Ramsey, an “expert on standards in public and political life”, who will lead on the establishment of the new independent complaints process for internal disciplinary matters.
The action plan is also believed to contain details on how Labour intends to live up to Sir Keir Starmer’s zero tolerance commitment to reports of antisemitism in the party in the future, how it will introduce training sessions on anti-Jewish racism to be conducted by the Jewish Labour Movement, and how it will effectively monitor improvements to ensure lasting change within the party.
Attempts by left-wing members of the NEC meeting to bring up the issue of Jeremy Corbyn’s suspension or the suspensions of local party officials who have sought to discuss the issue with motions at local meetings will be refused, the JC has learned.
Monday afternoon’s meeting was called solely to outline the EHRC action plain – and any other business is likely to be ruled out of order.
Labour’s new senior adviser on standards and ethics Ms Ramsey resigned from the committee on standards in public life, which advises the Prime Minister on ethical standards across the whole of public life in the UK to take up her new role.
On October 29 Labour was served with an unlawful act notice and given six week to return to the EHRC with its action plan.
The EHRC must agree with the plan and will monitor its administration. Labour is legally mandated to commission an independent process to handle and determine antisemitism complaints as soon as rule changes allow.