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Tag: Labour Libel Case

  • Margaret Hodge – 2020 Comments on Labour’s Anti-Semitism Case

    Margaret Hodge – 2020 Comments on Labour’s Anti-Semitism Case

    The text of the comments made by Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP for Barking, on Sky News on 22 July 2020.

    I’ve seen that statement. I think it’s bizarre, it’s obsessional, and I think a little humility shown by Jeremy Corbyn at this point of time would be most welcome. Not only did nine out of 10 Jewish people before the last general election fear the advent of Jeremy Corbyn as our prime minister, not only have we got the inquiry by the human rights commission, but we have the most resounding defeat ever in the last general election. The British people spoke. And I think Jeremy’s just got to start listening to that. He’s got to start showing a little humility. The less said by him at the moment, the better, not just for us, the Labour party, but for him too and for his future and reputation.

  • Len McCluskey – 2020 Comments on Labour’s Anti-Semitism Case

    Len McCluskey – 2020 Comments on Labour’s Anti-Semitism Case

    The comments made by Len McCluskey, the General Secretary of Unite, on 22 July 2020.

    Today’s settlement is a misuse of Labour Party funds to settle a case it was advised we would win in court. The leaked report on how anti-semitism was handled tells a very different story about what happened.

  • Jeremy Corbyn – 2020 Comments on Labour Party’s Libel Case Apology

    Jeremy Corbyn – 2020 Comments on Labour Party’s Libel Case Apology

    The text of the comments made by Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour MP for Islington North, on 22 July 2020.

    Labour Party members have a right to accountability and transparency of decisions taken in their name, and an effective commitment from the party to combat antisemitism and racism in all their forms.

    The Party’s decision to apologise today and make substantial payments to former staff who sued the party in relation to last year’s Panorama programme is a political decision, not a legal one.

    Our legal advice was that the party had a strong defence, and the evidence in the leaked Labour report that is now the subject of an NEC inquiry led by Martin Forde QC strengthened concerns about the role played by some of those who took part in the programme.

    The decision to settle these claims in this way is disappointing, and risks giving credibility to misleading and inaccurate allegations about action taken to tackle antisemitism in the Labour Party in recent years.

    To give our members the answers and justice they deserve, the inquiry led by Martin Forde must now fully address the evidence the internal report uncovered of racism, sexism, factionalism and obstruction of Labour’s 2017 General Election campaign.

  • Labour Party – 2020 Apology to John Ware

    Labour Party – 2020 Apology to John Ware

    The text of the formal apology made by the Labour Party to John Ware on 22 July 2020.

    The Labour Party has today issued an unreserved apology to John Ware, who investigated and presented the July 2019 BBC Panorama programme about antisemitism within the Labour Party.

    Before the broadcast of the programme the Labour Party issued a press release that contained defamatory and false allegations about John Ware. We would like to take this opportunity to withdraw these allegations. We would like to apologise unreservedly for the distress, embarrassment and hurt caused by their publication.

    As we acknowledge in the Statement in Open Court, John Ware is a very experienced broadcast and print journalist, producer and author, and we have agreed to pay damages to him.

    Under the leadership of Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, we are committed to tackling antisemitism within the Labour Party. Antisemitism has been a stain on the Labour Party in recent years. It has caused unacceptable and unimaginable levels of grief and distress for many in the Jewish community, as well as members of staff.

    If we are to restore the trust of the Jewish community, we must demonstrate a change of leadership. That means being open, transparent and respecting the right of whistleblowers and the free press and freedom of expression which includes the right to object to things written or published. We are determined to deliver that change.