Asserson Secures Human Rights Victory Against Anti-Semitic Labour Party

8 Nov 2020

For years, the Labour party has faced mounting allegations of anti-Semitism, which festered, inadequately addressed or outright ignored, until now. A recent report by the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has now confirmed the accuracy of these allegations. The report finds that, during Corbyn’s period in power, serious systematic failings enabled poisonous discrimination against the Jewish community to pervade every layer of the Labour party.

The EHRC report opens with a reference to the principal sources of information that persuaded it to open its investigation, namely; the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), the Jewish Voice for Labour, and the Campaign Against Antisemitism, led by Gideon Falter. Asserson Law Offices, an award-winning law firm of British Olim in Israel, represented the Campaign Against Antisemitism. Drawing on the firm’s extensive experience in anti-discrimination claims, Trevor Asserson, Senior Partner, provides comment on the landmark report.

“The Labour Party became a hotbed for racism under Corbyn’s ‘leadership’, directed at members of the UK’s Jewish population”, explains Asserson. Commenting on the EHRC’s report, Trevor Asserson noted his relief that institutions within the UK were clearly robust enough to call the Labour Party to account for their actions: “We are proud of the EHRC for doing the job it was established to perform. We have huge admiration for our client the Campaign Against Antisemitism, and are delighted to have had a role in this outcome.”

The groundbreaking report marks the first time that the Labour Party has been formally held to account for its unlawful actions. The Campaign Against Antisemitism hailed the report as “dispensing the British justice that British Jews have sorely awaited, but have been denied for too long”.

“It is fitting that Corbyn’s career should end in disgrace. It is to be hoped that the Labour party can find the strength to throw off its institutional racism, and return to being a party of the people,” said Asserson, who was himself for many years a member of the Labour Party.

Whilst his suspension from Labour is indeed a welcome opportunity for the party to repair its tattered relationship with British Jewry, the road ahead is far from smooth. It is up to Starmer to discipline those who turned a blind eye, or even impeded investigations into racism, during the Corbyn era and to implement the robust frameworks and recommendations made by the Commission. Starmer must ensure that antisemitism in the Labour party, together with those who allowed it to grow, are excised from the party.   

Article written by: Syvanne Aloni