Chris Williamson: the Labour MP at centre of anti-Semitism row

Corbyn urged to overturn the Derby North
MP’s reinstatement to party

In Depth

Williamson was suspended from Labour in February over comments
he had made about allegations of anti-Semitism in the party.
However, he was readmitted on Wednesday by a three-person
panel of the National Executive Committee (NEC), the party’s
governing body, following a disciplinary inquiry.

The decision has been blasted by 121 Labour
parliamentarians – including Corbyn’s deputy Tom Watson
and ten other frontbenchers – who have signed a letter to the party
leader arguing that the case is “particularly important” at a time
when Labour is under investigation by the Equality and Human Rights
Commission (EHRC) over alleged anti-Semitism.

Watson told the BBC that he was “bewildered” by the NEC’s choice
to readmit Williamson, saying: “They have taken away a proper
disciplinary inquiry that would have got to the facts of this
case.”

The open letter calls on Corbyn to “show leadership” by
asking for this “inappropriate, offensive and reputationally
damaging decision to be overturned and reviewed”.

It adds: “The Labour Party’s disciplinary process remains mired
by the appearance of political interference. This must stop.”

Separately, more than 70 Labour staff members have written to
the party’s general secretary, Jennie Formby, to express their
unhappiness over Williamson’s readmission.

Who is Chris Williamson?

A former bricklayer and social worker, Chris Williamson led
Derby Council twice before being elected to the House of Commons in
2010. He is now serving his second term as Labour MP for Derby
North.

The BBC notes that the 62-year-old is “one of the most outspoken
MPs on the left of the party”. That said, Williamson is “one
of the few backbenchers who agrees with Jeremy Corbyn on almost
everything”, adds The Daily Telegraph. 

Williamson has previously joined his pro-Corbyn
colleagues in calling for MPs who criticise their leader to be
de-selected.

What did he say about anti-Semitism?

Williamson was caught on film making controversial remarks
during a meeting with Labour activists in Sheffield. In the
footage, which was made public in February, he tells supporters
that Labour had been “too apologetic” over anti-Semitism and was
being “demonised as a racist, bigoted party”.

Following a public outcry, Williamson said he “deeply regretted”
the remarks and did not want to be seen to be “minimising the
cancer of anti-Semitism”.

However, in an interview this week he refused “five times”
to admit that he had done anything wrong, according to
the Daily Mail.

He told BBC Radio Derby: “Anybody who knows me, who knows my
record, knows I’m someone who has stood up against bigotry
throughout my political life and indeed beforehand.”

What does Corbyn say?

Campaigning in Hartlepool, Corbyn told the BBC he “wasn’t
involved” in the decision to readmit Williamson to the party. The
Labour leader said: “It was an independent panel set up through the
National Executive. They examined the case, they decided to let him
back in, albeit with a reprimand.”

He added: “Anyone that makes anti-Semitic remarks can expect at
the very least to be reprimanded, and if they are very serious and
engaged in anti-Semitic activity then they will be expelled from
the party.”