LABOUR’S anti-Semitism crisis worsened yesterday after leaked emails revealed an aide to Jeremy Corbyn had intervened to stop the suspension of a member who posted imagery from a far-right website
Activist Kayla Bibby posted a picture of an alien with the Star of David on its back grasping the Statue of Liberty’s face.
Alongside the image, Bibby wrote: “The most accurate photo I’ve seen all year!”
In the email, obtained by The Times, the person initially dealing with the complaint called it worrying, saying it suggested “Jewish people control America”.
They recommend suspension, but a more senior official said the image, along with others on Bibby’s Facebook pointed to her use of the picture as being “anti-Israel, not anti-Jewish”.
Instead of suspension, the unnamed official called for Bibby to be given a “reminder of conduct only”.
It was only months later when Bibby’s local MP complained to the party about the lax punishment, that the activist was suspended.
A party spokesman criticised the leak of the emails, claiming that it didn’t tell the whole story. He said: “This is malicious, selective briefing from a disgruntled former employee. It is a deeply unfair attack on staff working in good faith to apply the party rule book to individual cases and progress complaints through the party’s disciplinary processes.”
But Essex MP Wes Streeting said the content of the email was far more important than how it became public.
“Whatever the motives of the person behind the leak, it doesn’t alter the fact that a blatantly racist image was considered and the person responsible wasn’t expelled,” he said. “This is not the zero tolerance that was promised. Far from it.”
The comedian David Baddiel was among those who criticised the image, saying it showed
“a monstrous disgusting insectoid alien” and “seems to say something a bit beyond geopolitics to me”.
Meanwhile, Scottish party chiefs rejected a motion for their conference this weekend that, if adopted, would have forced all election candidates to undergo diversity training.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel