Far-left activist who said anti-Semitism scandal was a conspiracy is elected to Labour governing body in embarrassing blow to Corbyn
Pete Willsman, who said he'd seen no evidence of anti-Semitism in Labour, was elected to the national executive committee
JEREMY CORBYN was warned he could split Labour in two – as an activist panned for anti-Semitic jibes joined the party’s ruling body.
Outraged Jewish community leaders and MPs hit out last night as Peter Willsman was re-elected onto Labour’s National Executive Committee.
Eight other ‘Corbynistas’ were also elected onto the body.
Mr Willsman sparked uproar in July by blaming the anti-Semitism row engulfing Labour on “Jewish Trump fanatics” and made up allegations.
The Jewish Board of Deputies last night said the activist’s election “following his reprehensible comments” was “deeply concerning”.
And they slammed Labour’s “appalling attitude to tackling prejudice”.
Jennifer Gerber of Labour Friends of Israel added: “It is deplorable that Peter Willsman has been re-elected to the NEC and a terrible reflection on Labour’s committment to tackling anti-Semitism.”
Furious MPs said Mr Corbyn faced a devastating split if he pushes ahead with plans to water down the internationally recognised definition of anti-Semitism at a crunch meeting today.
Labour’s NEC meets to discuss whether to bow to calls from Jewish leaders to adopt the full IHRA definition – or continue with incendiary proposals to drop some of the 11 examples.
Labour insiders said the party was set to adopt all 11 – but add a “freedom of speech” caveat allowing MPs to attack Israel that would still incense Jewish community organisations.
Mr Corbyn separately yesterday sparked outrage by signalling he may back plans for MPs to face automatic reselection races in every constituency before the next Election.
He refused to criticise a call for mandatory reselections from the Momentum campaign group - which is also expected to be discussed at today’s NEC.
And he said there must be more “democratic accountability” in the party.
Labour backbencher Wes Streeting told The Sun the party faced a split on the scale of the SDP breakaway nearly 40 years ago.
He said: “The NEC is a really big moment for the Labour party.
"It can either do the right thing, adopt IHRA in full and bring the party back together.
“Or they can trigger irreconcilable differences and divisions and herald the biggest split we have seen since the SDP in 1981.”
Former UK chief rabbi Lord Sacks on Sunday said anti-Semitism in Labour ranks was now so bad it was causing British Jews to consider leaving the country.
In a blistering attack, he said Mr Corbyn was contributing to Jews questioning whether Britain was still a safe place to raise children.
Labour Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell yesterday admitted the party should have addressed the anti-Semitism row “much sooner”.
And he told BBC Radio Kent that he hoped the party’s NEC would today adopt the IHRA definition and examples in full.
He said: “It has dragged on and I think we should have addressed it much sooner.”
Richard Angell, director of Labour’s centre-left movement Progress, said it was time the party did the right thing and “prioritised the rights of Jewish people”.
He said: “Labour needs to pass the IHRA definition in full – no caveats, no compromises. Watering it down is an insult to Jews and the victims of anti-Semitism.”
In a statement Peter Willsman said he was “delighted” to have been elected to “protect the leader” – calling “Jerry” Corbyn a friend of 41 years.
And in comments that will outrage MPs, he said that when he had been sent to diversity training after his incendiary comments in July he gave them a list of questions he wanted them to answer.
Last night Tory party chairman Brandon Lewis said Peter Willsman’s election proved the Labour leadership was “not serious about tackling anti-Semitic racism”.
And he said Jeremy Corbyn should “condemn” it.
He added: “Jeremy Corbyn once promised a ‘kinder politics’ but the election of Peter Willsman, the man who described Jewish critics of Labour as ‘Trump fanatics’, has left that promise in tatters.”
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Labour supporting comedian Eddie Izzard narrowly lost out by 2,500 votes to Peter Willsman in his bid to continue on the NEC.
Taking to Twitter he urged the party to “learn to work together, and stop tearing each other apart”.
And he called on Labour to adopt the IHRA definition in full later today.
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