A third politician is now being questioned by party officials in regards to the Labour Party’s ongoing controversy surrounding accusations of antisemitism.

A third member of the Labour party who was present at a council meeting that led to renewed worries about antisemitism within the party has been contacted by party officials as they look into the incident.

Sir Keir Starmer’s party is facing a growing dispute over its handling of accusations of antisemitism. On Tuesday, parliamentary candidate Graham Jones was suspended, just one day after Labour was forced to suspend and withdraw support for Azhar Ali, their candidate in the Rochdale by-election.

Mr. Ali initially accused Israel of intentionally allowing the 7 October Hamas attack to occur as a prelude to invading Gaza, but he later retracted his statement and apologized. During the same meeting, former Member of Parliament Graham Jones, who had been chosen to run for his previous seat in Hyndburn again, made derogatory remarks about Israel and suggested that British citizens who join the Israel Defence Forces should be imprisoned.

It has now emerged that Hyndburn councillor Munsif Dad, who leads the local authority’s Labour group, is thought to have been at the gathering where two parliamentary candidates are alleged to have made antisemitic remarks.

There is no indication that Mr. Dad, who heads the local government’s Labour group, made any inappropriate remarks during the meeting and no further measures have been taken.

The gathering has sparked concerns among Jewish Labour Party members about the prevalence of antisemitism, with some attributing it to Israel’s military operations in Gaza leading to a significant increase in antisemitic incidents.

The chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), Mike Katz, urged the party to increase scrutiny on candidates who were chosen before the Hamas terrorist attacks. He also proposed providing training for candidates to identify and combat antisemitism.

According to The Independent, he stated that the party should be aware of the rise in antisemitic conspiracy theories and false information on social media since October 7. He also suggested reviewing past comments and posts to ensure they align with this awareness.

As the consequences of the contentious gathering escalated:

According to Mr. Katz, many candidates were chosen and are currently campaigning in their districts well ahead of the election.

The goal is not to prioritize political gain. Instead, it is to educate individuals on identifying and acknowledging instances of antisemitism and discrimination, and to encourage them to speak out against it wherever it occurs, as a means of promoting unity within the community.

Former member of Parliament Dame Louise Ellman, who is Jewish, left the Labour party in 2019 due to concerns of anti-Semitism during Jeremy Corbyn’s time as leader. She stated that there was a lack of thorough examination of the candidates.

She claimed that Sir Keir was not quick enough in addressing the recent crisis of antisemitism, which caused the party to lose respect.

Although Dame Louise stated on Times Radio that Labour has made progress in addressing antisemitism, she referred to the recent scandal as a hindrance.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism reminded Labour of their obligation to educate grassroots activists and candidates on identifying and addressing instances of antisemitism. They emphasized that Labour has a particular responsibility to do so, given the agreed upon action plan with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to eradicate antisemitism within the party.

According to a spokesperson for The Independent, it has become evident that all political parties must thoroughly screen their officers and candidates, as seen in the recent scrutiny and controversies surrounding Labour’s referral to the EHRC and the party’s investigation. This has been highlighted by the recent incidents in Rochdale.

Martin Forde KC, the attorney who headed an examination of antisemitism within the party, stated that Labour’s management of the crisis was disorganized.

The Labour party initially supported Mr Ali’s actions, believing that he had been influenced by an online conspiracy theory. However, on Monday evening, the party made a sudden decision to remove him from his position after discovering that he had also accused “certain Jewish groups in the media” of contributing to the criticism of a pro-Palestinian politician.

Despite facing an investigation and potential removal as a Labour MP, Mr Ali will remain on the Rochdale ballot this month due to a deadline for candidate changes. However, if he is successful in the election, he will not represent the Labour party. In light of the suspension of Mr Jones, the party will most likely select a new candidate to run for Hyndburn in the upcoming general election.

On Tuesday, Labour’s shadow defence secretary John Healey stated that the party will rely on solid evidence in order to investigate any individuals who do not meet their standards. He emphasized that if there is proof of inappropriate behavior or speech that goes against the values of the Labour Party at the meeting, it should be reported and provided to the party for thorough investigation. This approach is consistent with how the party handles all cases.

When asked about Mr Ali’s vetting process, Mr Healey responded by stating that the candidate from Rochdale is highly regarded and has strong support from various communities, including the Jewish community in the North West region.

The Conservatives have stated that the uproar reveals the insincerity of Labour’s claims of change under Sir Keir.

Source: independent.co.uk