UK Labour party closes investigation into reported anti-Semitism at Oxford University

The Jewish Students Union at Oxford University is up in arms after the Labour party closed an investigation into many reported incidents of anti-Semitism carried out by the party’s student group at the university. 

The Jewish Students Union at Oxford University expressed a sense of betrayal after the Labour party decided to close an investigation into allegations of anti-Semitic behavior within Oxford University’s Labour club.

“The Party had an opportunity to put its values into practice, to demonstrate how seriously they take the issue of antisemitism and to show that Labour Clubs are welcome spaces for Jewish students, but they have failed miserably,” the union said in its response.

“They have let Jewish students down and in doing so, they have created an atmosphere in which antisemitism may thrive without fear of being challenged.”

Labour Baroness Janet Ann Royall of the House of Lords was tasked by the Labour party 11 months ago to review allegations of anti-Semitism within the university’s Labour party club. During her investigation, Baroness Royall received 300 pages of evidence from 40 members of the Oxford University Labour Party club, and concluded in a report last August that disciplinary action should be taken.

“It is clear to me from the weight of witnessed allegations received that there have been some incidents of antisemitic behaviour and that it is appropriate for the disciplinary procedures of our Party to be invoked,” she had said then.

Joe Glasman, the Director of Political Investigations at Campaign Against Anti-Semitism expressed a sense of hopelessness and a complete lack of faith in the ability of the Labour party to tackle anti-Semitism within its ranks.

“It is no longer possible, in our view, to save the Labour Party from its own racism, but it is necessary to defend the Jewish community against what is becoming a waking nightmare,” said Glasman. “The Labour Party’s decision to drop this investigation calls the witnesses liars or simply says that the antisemitism they experienced does not matter.”

For her part, the UK’s Prime Minister Theresa May has criticized Labour party Chairman Jeremy Corbyn for allowing anti-Semitism to exist in the Labour party’s ranks.

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News

anti-SemitismCorbynLabour PartyMayUnited Kingdom