Jeremy Corbyn supporting hard-left campaign group refuses to kick out activist Jackie Walker over Holocaust comments
Jackie Walker questioned why Holocaust Memorial Day was not more wide-ranging to include other genocides
A KEY ally of Jeremy Corbyn has been stripped of her position as vice-chair of the hard-left Momentum campaign group after making controversial comments about anti-Semitism.
But MPs are questioning why Jackie Walker, who has been suspended from Labour, is allowed to remain a member of the organisation and is still on its steering committee.
Leaked footage showed the outspoken campaigner saying she had not found a definition of anti-Semitism she could "work with".
And the footage also showed her questioning why Holocaust Memorial Day was not more wide-ranging to include other genocides.
Members of Momentum’s steering committee voted seven-three to remove Ms Walker from her position as vice chairwoman.
But she is still a member of the group and its steering committee.
And the organisation believes what she said was not anti-Semitic and should be allowed back in the Labour Party.
In a statement, the campaign group said: "Jackie's actions at Labour conference, in her subsequent Channel 4 interview, and by not understanding concern caused by her statements, have led the steering committee to view her behaviour as irresponsible and lose confidence in her as vice chair.
"Having read reports of what Jackie Walker is alleged to have said, listened to the leaked video, and heard Jackie's version of events, the committee does not regard any of the comments she appears to have made, taken individually, to be anti-Semitic.
"However, the committee does consider her remarks on Holocaust Memorial Day and on security of Jewish schools to be ill-informed, ill-judged and offensive.
"In such circumstances, the committee feels that Jackie should have done more to explain herself to mitigate the upset caused and should have been careful about statements on this and related subjects, whatever her record as an anti-racist, which the committee applauds."
But on Twitter some Labour MPs are calling for much tougher action.