Impossible To Avoid The Conclusion That Labour Is Institutionally Anti-Semitic

7 April 2019, 13:53 | Updated: 7 April 2019, 15:47

The Labour Party has "descended into institutional anti-Semitism", says Maajid Nawaz after leaked documents shows failures to take disciplinary action within the party.

Maajid Nawaz says it is "terribly sad" to say that the Labour Party is still not able to deal with its problem of anti-Semitism.

Leaked documents show emails within the party show a failure to act on accusations of anti-Semitism, with hundreds of cases going unresolved, and hundreds without even an investigation.

"Everything you people say you stand for, I should be a natural supporter of your party," Maajid started.

"You have lost the heart of this nation with this behaviour.

"And there's no way somebody like me in good faith can ever vote for Labour with this going on.

"It is absolutely shocking.

"I bet you that there are so many other people out there that would not want to vote for a party that is so self-evidently institutionally racist."

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His comments come after leaked documents from the Labour Party shows a failure to take disciplinary action against hundreds of members accused of anti-semitism under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership.

The documents, seen by the Sunday Times, show that Mr Corbyn's office has been involved in approving, delaying, or even blocking at least one hundred complaints.

An email from Mr Corbyn's chief of staff said that his office needed an "overview" of politically sensitive cases after March last year, the point in which the party said its anti-Semitism disciplinary process was free from political interference.

The Times reports that of 863 complaints, 454 are currently unresolved including 249 where the party has not yet started an investigation.

The paper also reports that of 409 cases where a decision was reached, 191 members faced no further action and 145 received a formal warning - which does not affect a person's membership or ability to stand as a party candidate.

Speaking last year, Maajid said that Mr Corbyn was "not fit for office" and "wilfully ignorant" before deciding that the party was "institutionally racist".