UK

Members of Jeremy Corbyn's inner circle accused of interfering in the outcome of anti-Semitism cases

Labour MP Margaret Hodge who has accused members of Jeremy Corbyn's inner circle of interfering in the outcome of anti-Semitism cases to reduce the sanction imposed Picture by Yui Mok/PA
Labour MP Margaret Hodge who has accused members of Jeremy Corbyn's inner circle of interfering in the outcome of anti-Semitism cases to reduce the sanction imposed Picture by Yui Mok/PA Labour MP Margaret Hodge who has accused members of Jeremy Corbyn's inner circle of interfering in the outcome of anti-Semitism cases to reduce the sanction imposed Picture by Yui Mok/PA

A senior Labour MP has accused members of Jeremy Corbyn's inner circle of interfering in the outcome of anti-Semitism cases to reduce the sanction imposed.

Dame Margaret Hodge claimed Mr Corbyn had either misled her or been misled himself about the extent of his team's involvement in cases.

She accused Mr Corbyn of promising a "zero-tolerance approach" but did not demonstrate that if the cases involved his "mates".

Dame Margaret, who is Jewish, has a history of clashes with Mr Corbyn.

Labour insisted that it was "categorically untrue" to suggest that staff in the leader's office overturned recommendations in cases.

Board of Deputies of British Jews president Marie van der Zyl said: "It is intensely disturbing to hear reports that the Labour leader's office has intervened to stop the suspension of a member who defended an anti-Semitic mural in east London.

"Labour has long told us that complaints are expedited independently. This case would indicate that there is something less than 'zero tolerance' for anti-Semitism in the leader's office and shows contempt for the concerns of the Jewish community."

Dame Margaret has written to Mr Corbyn setting out her concerns, which follow an Observer report at the weekend about the process followed in certain anti-Semitism cases.

Barking and Dagenham MP Dame Margaret told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she had been given "absolute, copper-bottomed undertakings" by Mr Corbyn that there was "no interference in the complaints process by his inner circle".

"What we then discover from the Observer on Sunday, and I have seen further emails, is that a whole number of his top team – not just one person, lots of them – are involved in decisions around individual complaints and what they do is they interfere and they lower the sanctions so people aren't suspended, they are just given a warning letter," she said.

"What is so awful about this is that Jeremy always proclaims zero tolerance of anti-Semitism. When it comes to the actual cases, if they are his mates he doesn't demonstrate zero tolerance.

"He claims no political interference in these cases, I have now seen so much evidence there is definitely political interference.

"So trust in him has gone. Misleading me, or himself being misled, really undermines my trust for him."

She also questioned the plan for former lord chancellor Lord Falconer to be brought in to examine the issue, saying she did not believe he was independent and it could be a repeat of Baroness Chakrabarti's inquiry, which critics branded a whitewash.

Dame Margaret said Lord Falconer had repeatedly urged her to apologise following a heated clash with Mr Corbyn last year in which she called the Labour leader a "racist and anti-Semite".

She said she was "absolutely bombarded by telephone calls from Charlie Falconer, they were not about the rights and wrongs of the case, they were all about trying to force me to give an apology – he is not independent".

"We need somebody totally outside the Labour Party otherwise this becomes another Chakrabarti fiasco," Dame Margaret said.

A Labour Party spokesman said: "Since becoming general secretary, Jennie Formby has made procedures for dealing with complaints about anti-Semitism more robust.

"Staff who work on disciplinary matters have always led on investigations and recommendations on individual cases.

"Any suggestion that staff in the Leaders' Office overturned recommendations on individual cases is categorically untrue."

But Dame Margaret said: "I have got evidence that under the new general secretary of the Labour Party those very close to Jeremy Corbyn, his inner circle, were involved in discussing cases of terrible anti-Semitic abuse and in lowering how those people were dealt with."

Dame Margaret's intervention follows a stormy meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party on Monday night.

Some Labour MPs reacted angrily to the appointment of a staff member from Mr Corbyn's office to the party unit dealing with complaints of anti-Semitism.

Following the weekly meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) at Westminster, MPs expressed concern that the move of Laura Murray – the daughter of long-standing Corbyn aide Andrew Murray – undermined the independence of the whole process.

Labour would not comment on the appointment, although a party source confirmed two junior staff members had been released from their roles in another part of the organisation to provide "administrative support on an interim basis" to the complaints team.

Meanwhile, shadow cabinet minister Angela Rayner revealed she has had panic buttons installed in her house after receiving threats from people claiming to be Corbyn supporters.

Ms Rayner came under attack on social media over the weekend after tweeting praise for a TV interview by Tony Blair and saying that "all shades of red" should be welcome in Labour.

Her comment sparked a wave of abuse under the hashtag ResignRayner, prompting her to say on Facebook that "we have a problem with some on the left that cannot disagree respectfully".

And she added: "It was only a couple of weeks ago someone claiming to be a Jeremy supporter was arrested for making threats to rape and murder me on social media.

"My house has panic buttons fitted. My colleague was assassinated doing her job that I do week in week out. Jeremy was attacked this weekend. We have to stop the personal attacks and be kinder to each other."