Hampstead MP to push for ‘truly independent’ review of Labour anti-Semitism

Hampstead and Kilburn Labour MP Tulip Siddiq will push for a new “truly independent” review of the Labour party’s problems with anti-Semitism when Parliament reconvenes.

And she will make further attempts to have former London mayor Ken Livingstone expelled for his comments about Hitler.

She retained her seat with a majority increased from around 1,000 to 15,560, which she described as “astonishing”, defeating Conservative candidate Claire-Louise Leyland, who received 18,904 votes.

“I grew up in Hampstead around the Jewish community. They felt the Labour party was their natural home,” she said. “Now people say to me they feel like they don’t belong any more and that they’re not welcome.

“I think there are certain elements of anti-Semitism in the party that have not been dealt with properly. I am determined that MPs like me, Wes Streeting and Joan Ryan will stand up and say, to borrow from Theresa May, ‘enough is enough’. We can’t go on like this this while the community feels so disenfranchised and disillusioned.”

She praised voters in her constituency, saying they had not fallen for “Tory lies, scaremongering and exaggeration”.

She went on: “The Tories kept saying they would win and get their seat back. I was quietly confident I would win. I worked hard and people judged me on my record.”

Ms Siddiq resigned from Jeremy Corbyn’s front bench earlier this year, but graciously congratulated the labour leader’s election campaign. “Credit where it’s due,” she said.