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Martin Forde QC to chair investigation into leaked antisemitism report
Mr Forde will be joined by three other panellists
May 1, 2020 14:12
Mr Forde will be joined by three other panellists
May 1, 2020 14:12Labour has appointed Martin Forde QC to chair an investigation into the leaked antisemitism report.
The respected lawyer - who has acted for the General Medical Council and the General Dental Council - will look into "the circumstances, contents and release of an internal report".
Mr Forde, currently the independent advisor on the Windrush Compensation Scheme, will be supported by three other experts on the panel who have been asked to report back to Sir Keir Starmer by July 15.
The three other panelists are Baroness Debbie Wilcox, a councillor who was previously Leader of Newport City Council and Head of the Welsh Local Government Association, Lord Larry Whitty, the former General Secretary of the Labour Party and Baroness Ruth Lister, Emeritus Professor of Social Policy at Loughborough University and Honorary President of the Child Poverty Action Group.
It is understood that Momentum founder Jon Lansman had been among those to have told Friday's NEC meeting that Lord Dubs should have been on the panel because of a lack of Jewish representation.
But Lord Dubs had publicly supported Jeremy Corbyn at the last election and was rejected as a candidate by the NEC.
The leaked report has sparked widespread anger amongst Jewish Labour members after their names were circulated online in relation to complaints made about antisemtism.
More than 30 Labour members and former party officials are now suing the party over alleged data protection breaches and defamation claims.
The Information Commissioner's Office is also investigating the party over possible data protection breaches.
The 860 page report has also been seized upon by the left as supposed proof of a plot to stop Mr Corbyn was winning power at the 2017 general election.
ALabour spokesperson said: "The NEC has appointed Martin Forde to chair the independent investigation into the circumstances, contents and release of an internal report. Forde will be supported by a panel of three experts who have expertise in the law & the Labour Party’s structures."