Jewish Labour Movement requests investigation into reinstatement of Chris Williamson MP

A group representing Jewish people in the Labour Party will ask an official equalities body to investigate the party's decision to re-admit an MP branded antisemitic, Paste BN has been told.

The Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) wants the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to use statutory powers to investigate the lifting of Chris Williamson's suspension.

The member of parliament for Derby North and former shadow spokesman was suspended after claiming the party had been "too apologetic" about its handling of antisemitism allegations.

Mr Williamson, an ally of leader Jeremy Corbyn, was suspended in February after a recording of the comments emerged.

On Wednesday, the MP had his suspension lifted after a hearing of Labour's National Executive Committee (NEC) antisemitism panel.

He was instead given a formal warning.

On Thursday, Mr Williamson tweeted his thanks for messages of support.

He said: "I'd like to express my heartfelt thanks for the avalanche of goodwill messages from grassroots members. I can now focus on representing local people in Derby Nth and working for a Corbyn-led Labour govt to positively transform the lives of millions. Together anything is possible!"

In the original video, obtained by the Yorkshire Post, Mr Williamson is heard telling Momentum activists: "I think our party's response has been partly responsible for that because in my opinion... we've backed off too much, we've given too much ground, we've been too apologetic."

Paste BN understands Labour's NEC dispute panel was originally due to meet on Tuesday, but it was cancelled when one of the three-person panel pulled out.

The panel was intended to be made up of Momentum founder John Lansman, backbencher George Howarth and London Councillor Claudia Webbe. However, when it was made clear that Ms Webbe was unable to attend, the meeting was postponed.

When the disputes panel eventually met on Wednesday it was instead comprised of backbench MP Keith Vaz, constituency Labour Party representative Huda Elmi and Mr Howarth.

Mr Lansman and Mr Howarth had both been expected to vote in favour of the case being sent to the party's highest disciplinary body, the National Constitution Committee, which has the power to expel a member.

But it is understood that Mr Vaz and Ms Elmi voted instead to ignore recommendations from Labour staff and opt to limit the sanction to a formal warning.

The JLM is demanding the EHRC establish what conversations Ms Webbe had in relation to her decision to pull out of the original panel.

The decision also prompted an angry reaction from Labour MP John Mann, who described it as a "stitch-up".

He told Paste BN' All Out Politics programme it was a move by left-wing group Momentum to protect an MP who he claimed had been trying to get others on the right of the party deselected. But, he added, the move did not include Momentum leader Jon Lansman, who had shown he was against antisemitism.

Mr Mann said: "They've stitched it up to get their mate Williamson back in and frankly, most Labour MPs are aghast - the Momentum cabal who runs the national executive.

"Jewish MPs have been attacked because they're Jewish. Williamson coming back in, what that gives is the green light for that to continue. It's an outrageous decision. Williamson has no place in the Parliamentary Labour Party."

Labour backbencher Margaret Hodge, a vocal critic of the party's handling of antisemitism, called on Mr Corbyn to overrule the decision.

However, a senior source on the National Executive Committee told Paste BN the Labour leader was not responsible for the decision.

"Blaming the leadership for this terrible decision is a total red herring. Party staff recommended that he be referred to the NCC. Keith Vaz, who is a longtime operator on the Labour right, opposed it.

"The silver lining is that, while suspended from the party, Chris Williamson couldn't face a trigger ballot. Now he can be and I strongly hope he is deselected," the source said.