Express & Star

Support grows for MP Ian Austin in anti-Semitism row

Support is growing for Ian Austin as Labour Party divisions over the anti-Semitism row deepened.

Published
Ian Austin at a Parliament Square rally against anti-Semitism in the Labour Party

The Dudley North MP is under investigation for ‘abusive conduct’ after expressing anger about the party’s new code on anti-Semitism and its stance on the issue under Jeremy Corbyn.

It comes after Labour’s ruling NEC sparked widespread fury after it refused to adopt the internationally accepted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism.

In a shocking week for the Labour leadership, Mr Corbyn was forced to apologise after it emerged he had chaired a parliamentary event on Holocaust Memorial Day in 2010, during which the Israeli government was compared to the Nazis.

Questions have also been asked over Mr Corbyn’s failure to discipline hard-left firebrand and NEC member Peter Willsman, who alleged Jewish ‘Trump fanatics’ were making up stories about anti-Semitism in the party.

Today colleagues on both sides of the House rallied around Mr Austin, who is the son of Czech Jewish refugees and a long-term critic of Mr Corbyn.

Dudley South’s Tory MP Mike Wood, said: “I’m always humbled to attend the Dudley Holocaust Memorial Day events organised by my neighbour Ian Austin.

“It is outrageous that Jeremy Corbyn chose to mark Holocaust Memorial Day with an event explicitly comparing Israel to the Nazis.”

Labour MP Peter Kyle claims to have witnessed the exchange that led to Mr Austin facing disciplinary action, describing it as ‘far from abusive’.

He said: “Labour will not solve the anti-Semitism problem it has by disciplining children of Jewish refugees like Ian Austin, but by listening to them.”

Former Labour MP David Miliband said: “The Labour party is full of good principled people like Ian Austin.”

Meanwhile Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader and the MP for West Bromwich East, branded Mr Willsman ‘a loud mouthed bully’.