Labour suspends vice chair of local party over Starmer’s ‘Jewish wife’ remark
The party took action after Jewish News revealed Nick Dodds’ comments, made at Labour’s conference in Brighton.
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Labour have suspended the vice chair of the Walsall South local party pending an investigation into his comments about Keir Starmer’s “Jewish” wife.
The party acted swiftly after Jewish News revealed Nick Dodds’ comments, made at Labour’s conference in Brighton.
His wife Val had been the first to attempt to disrupt Starmer’s speech on Wednesday.
Dodds was informed today that he had been administratively suspended ahead of an investigation into his comments.
Jewish News has a recording of his remarks – in which he said Labour had changed because Starmer’s “wife is Jewish.”
He also complained that Starmer was surrounded by too many advisers who are Jewish.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.”
Mike Katz, national chair of the Jewish Labour Movement said: “It is disgusting and outrageous that this deeply antisemitic slur against Keir and Victoria should be voiced by anyone, let alone a member of the Labour Party. It shows that – despite the tremendous progress made in Brighton this week, there is still much to do to truly stamp out anti-Jewish racism in the Party.”
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