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    Labour members file High Court action over "unfair" disciplinary system Archived Message

    Posted by sashimi on December 10, 2020, 8:48 pm

    Lamiat Sabin, 10 December 2020

    (quote)
    Labour members filed High Court action against the party today over
    investigations into their alleged conduct taking place under a system
    that it admitted was "unfair."

    The group of seven, four of whom are Jewish, said Labour had accepted
    the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) report on the party's
    handling of anti-semitism complaints and that its disciplinary process
    was "not fit for purpose."

    However the members said that they were investigated over
    anti-semitism claims under the very process that Labour said it would
    replace.

    The group, Labour Activists For Justice (LA4J), said it had been
    "unjustly accused of undermining the party's ability to campaign
    against racism, have been working for six months to persuade the party
    to improve its disciplinary process for the benefit of all members,
    but have been rejected at every approach."

    Labour had told LA4J that the EHRC "report did not apply to [it]" and
    that it "would continue to use the same disciplinary processes."

    LA4J is also disputing the party's "lack of clear guidelines on how
    anti-semitism cases are judged," withholding identities of accusers
    "without good reason," a "lack of fair process" for the accused, and
    "a failure to provide adequate reasons for the decisions made."

    Diana Neslen, an Orthodox Jew, said: "If any employer tried to impose
    the party's process on their employees today, the labour movement and
    the unions would be up in arms. It is a disgrace that needs to be
    fixed.

    "The idea that the EHRC report does not apply to us is the last
    straw. A legal challenge is not a road we want to go down, but they
    have left us no choice."

    The other members are Jonathan Rosenhead, Michael Ellman, Mike Howard,
    John Davies, Colin O Driscoll and Chris Wallis.

    All seven reject the charges that they said were based on a version of
    an anti-semitism code of conduct that Labour will not publish.

    The Morning Star approached Labour for comment.

    A Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) spokesperson told the Star that the
    accusations of anti-semitism were mainly over criticising Israel, and
    that they have "clouded over injustices of the process that cause
    suffering for Jews and non-Jews."

    The confidentiality clause, anonymous accusers and secret code of
    conduct have contributed to the accused feeling isolated and without
    context for the allegations, they added.

    LA4J has launched a crowdfunding appeal for legal fees: bit.ly/3m8IXd4
    (/quote)
    -- https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/b/labour-members-file-high-court-action-over-unfair-disciplinary-system

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    • Labour members file High Court action over "unfair" disciplinary system - sashimi December 10, 2020, 8:48 pm