Labour MP Chris Williamson suspended for antisemitism remarks

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Labour MP Chris Williamson has been suspended over remarks he made about the party’s handling of antisemitism.
Footage emerged this week of Williamson, a close ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, telling activists Labour had been "too apologetic" about incidents of anti-Jewish behaviour within the party.
Corbyn insisted earlier in February that the MP was "not antisemitic in any way."

LONDON — Labour MP Chris Williamson has been suspended from the party following remarks he made about the party’s handling of antisemitism.

It comes after he was forced to apologise for suggesting that Labour had "been too apologetic" over antisemitism within the party.

A spokesperson for Jeremy Corbyn announced earlier on Wednesday that the Derby North MP faced an internal investigation but would not be suspended, but the party appears to have conceded to demands from senior figures to go further and suspend the whip from Williamson.

Senior party figures including deputy leader Tom Watson and London mayor Sadiq Khan had said there were grounds to suspend Williamson for his comments, who has twice been forced to defend behaviour related to antisemitism in the past.

The latest row started after footage published by the Yorkshire Post showed Williamson telling party activists that Labour had been "too apologetic" over hundreds of alleged cases of antisemitism and was being "demonised as a racist, bigoted party."

Williamson previously sparked controversy in 2017 after insisting claims that Labour had a problem with anti-Jewish behaviour in were a "dirty lowdown trick" being used for "political ends."

He also apologised in January this year after offering support to a musician accused of antisemitism and Holocaust denial.

Williamson is a close ally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who insisted earlier in February that the MP was "not antisemitic in any way."

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