Chris Williamson said Labour was ‘too apologetic’ in its handling of anti-Semitism in the party
Both Theresa May and Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson have called for the suspension of Chris Williamson from his party.
The MP for Derby North will be investigated but has not been suspended from Labour, after saying that the party had “given too much ground” to criticism.
Williamson has apologised for the remarks to a cheering Momentum meeting in Sheffield, which he says he now “deeply regrets,” but Watson says the apology was “heavily caveated” and inadequate. He has written to Labour’s general secretary and chief whip calling for Williamson’s suspension.
WATCH: Chris Williamson tells a Sheffield Momentum meeting that Labour has been "too apologetic" about anti-Semitism… pic.twitter.com/zxtKdHQPvw
— Liz Bates (@wizbates) February 26, 2019
Williamson wrote on Twitter: “I deeply regret and apologise for my recent choice of words. I was trying to suggest how much the party has done to tackle anti-Semitism.
“Our movement can never be too apologetic about racism in our ranks. While it is true there have been very few cases of anti-Semitism in Labour, something I believe is often forgotten when discussing this issue, it is also true that those few are too many.”
At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday Theresa May said Williamson staying within Labour while Jewish MPs like Luciana Berger were bullied out of the party “summed up” the situation.
She said: “It tells you all you need to know about the Labour leadership. Present but not involved.”
Chris Williamson has produced a long-winded and heavily caveated apology. It is not good enough. If it was in my gift I would have removed the whip from him already. pic.twitter.com/IuEpDM1Ak2
— Tom Watson (@tom_watson) February 27, 2019
A Labour spokesperson said: “Chris Williamson has been issued with a notice of investigation into a pattern of behaviour but has not been suspended.”
On Sunday, Watson said the crisis of anti-Semitism in the Labour party required Jeremy Corbyn’s personal intervention.
