‘Average week would see dozens, if not hundreds, of complaints’
New revelations of what it was like to deal with antisemitism issues at Labour HQ made by a complaints officer who quit party this year.
Jenni Frazer is a freelance journalist
New shocking revelations of what it was like to deal with antisemitism issues at Labour Party headquarters were made this week by a complaints officer who left the party only three months ago.
Tim Dexter, who, like other whistleblowers who appeared in last week’s BBC Panorama programme, has breached his non-disclosure agreement in order to speak out, told the Sunday Times that “within an average week we would see dozens, if not hundreds of complaints of antisemitism being received by the party. Sometimes this could be the most vile, disgusting of things, where people were openly talking about the Holocaust, how it wasn’t a bad thing, how it was deserved, moving through to how Jews were ‘naturally conspiratorial’ or greedy”.
Dexter, who is not Jewish, said that the power to make initial decisions on cases lay with the disputes team. “The complaints team would pass it on to the unit if they felt there was something to answer.” But that power, he said, was taken away from the disputes team and given to an individual “who would be able unilaterally to decide whether any suspension was required”.
Quite regularly, Dexter said, decisions would come back “which seemed to be incredibly lenient.” Only complaints which had become public and were reported in the press had attracted any action, he claimed.
The former Labour employee said that there had been repeated refusal, in one case, to suspend a man who had described two Jewish Labour MPs as “Zionist cum buckets”. He also alleged that Thomas Gardiner, a senior Corbyn ally, had said it was “ridiculous” that the party had to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to antisemitism, and that MPs who had apologised for historic remarks should not have to face further action. Labour has said “categorically” that no such conversation took place.
Dexter, who said he felt “guilt” at the way in which the processes were carried out, resigned in April but was not permitted to work out his notice and was, he said, marched out of the office after being accused of breaching data roles.
Read more:
- Wes Streeting ‘doesn’t know how Jeremy Corbyn sleeps at night’
- OPINION: A national disgrace that’s gone too far
- Over 30 Labour whistleblowers to give evidence to watchdog, JLM reveals
- Six leading British Jews praise ‘rare moral courage’ of Labour whistleblowers
- 28 MPs ‘shocked’ by Panorama issue statement supporting whistleblowers
- Luciana Berger: ‘I couldn’t be responsible for getting Corbyn into Number 10’
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.
