Unite chief criticised for citing Baroness’ Israel trip in anti-Semitism probe
The political director of Britain’s largest union has been criticised after raising the fact the Labour peer investigating claims of anti-Semitism at Oxford Labour Club had visited the Middle East with Labour Friends of Israel.
Jennie Formby shocked fellow members of Labour’s National Executive Committee when she made the point at a meeting of the party’s ruling group last week after raising the probe, which is being conducted by Baroness Royall.
Formby, who was a driving force behind the motion to boycott G4S last year, said she had never heard of the former shadow leader of the House of Lords but had discovered online that she had taken part in an LFI visit nearly a decade ago. The remark was reportedly described by fellow NEC member Shabana Mahmood as “highly inappropriate” but Unite insisted she wasn’t questioning the peer’s appointment.
LFI’s parliamentary chair Joan Ryan has written to Formby to query the relevance of that visit to the probe into anti-Semitism. “If the reports are correct, I would appreciate an explanation as to why you believe participating in an LFI trip might disqualify somebody from investigating allegations of anti-Semitism,” she wrote. She also invited Formby to join a Trade Union Friends of Israel delegation to Israel and Palestine.
Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson responded to the controversy by telling Jewish News: “Janet Royall is a woman of great integrity. I’m sure she will carry out a thorough investigation and establish all the facts as she has been asked to.”
A Unite spokesperson said: “This appears to be a misunderstanding of the situation. Far from questioning Baroness Royall’s appointment, Ms Formby was proposing that the NEC should consider what additional support could be given to Jan, given the remit she needs to fulfil and the extent of the complaints that have been made. Unite remains supportive of a full consideration of these allegations and will support Baroness Royall in every possible way in this matter.” Formby is due to be appointed as the union’s regional secretary in the south east, leaving her current role, next week.
LFI lay chair, Adrian Cohen, said: “Frankly I’m not sure what’s worse Jennie Formby’s reported comments about Baroness Jan Royall or Unite’s attempt at clarification. It does suggest there is a problem within certain parts of the left of the party.”
Meanwhile, The Sunday Times reported that testimony to an investigation into the Oxford Club claimed members mocked victims of the 2015 terror attack on a Paris kosher supermarket and branded Auschwitz a “cash cow”.
The party promised “robust action” after the resignation of the club’s co-chair and subsequent claims of intimidation from the Jewish Society. An initial report by Labour Students has yet to be published but has been passed to the fresh probe being conducted by Baroness Royall.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
