Corbyn ally, Chris Williamson to sue Labour over antisemitism suspension

Williamson, who was called a "Jew-baiter" due to his involvement and statements in the Labour Party's antisemitism crisis, is to sue the party with the hope he will be re-admitted.

By BENJY SINGER
Official portrait of Chris Williamson (photo credit: CHRIS MCANDREW/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
Official portrait of Chris Williamson
(photo credit: CHRIS MCANDREW/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS)
MP Chris Williamson, an ally of Jeremy Corbyn, is suing the Labour Party over its decision to re-implement his suspension from the party over accusations of antisemitism, it was reported in The Guardian.
The MP from Derby North is taking action against the party, which will most definitely defend its decision, which will be decided in court.
Williamson confirmed on Wednesday that legal papers had been passed on to the party's general-secretary Jennie Formby, and have also already been sent to court.
Williamson, who was called a "Jew-baiter" due to his involvement and statements in the Labour Party's antisemitism crisis, is suing the party with the hope that he will be re-admitted.
In February, he was suspended from the party for claiming that it has been "too apologetic" over Jew-hatred. He was allowed back in June only to be resuspended two days later after harsh criticism from the Jewish community and Labour MPs.
In February, he said in Sheffield, regarding accusations of antisemitism within the party: “I’ve got to say, I think our party’s response has been partly responsible… because, in my opinion, we’ve backed off far too much, we’ve given too much ground: We’ve been too apologetic.”
His suspension was reimposed after over 60 Labour MP's strongly protested against him being allowed back into the party.
Then in June, over 120 Labour MPs and peers led by deputy leader Tom Watson said that he should be removed from the party over his antisemitic comments. This was in addition to a separate petition by almost 70 Labour staff members conveying their anger at his readmission.
Shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer also demanded that action be taken against Williamson, saying he is “deeply concerned about the decision to readmit Chris Williamson to the Labour Party.”
Labour sources said that Williamson’s suspension was in line with party rules, and officers remained “confident there are no grounds for a successful legal challenge.”
Williamson has taken to social media raise money for his defense.

He also has a website to support his cause. He stated there that his initial February suspension came as a result of “a pressure campaign against the Labour Party by opponents of a Corbyn-led socialist government."

The smears against him, "are a proxy for attacks on Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Left,” he claims.
Williamson chose Prof. David Miller to run his fundraising campaign. Miller claimed that the accusations of the Labour Party being antisemitic were "mostly false." He was reported to have said on one occasion that security concerns of Jewish students were "propaganda which they have been schooled with.”
Miller has a history of defending those who have an antagonistic stance towards Israel and the Jewish people, such as Ken Livingstone and Tony Greenstein.
A spokesman for the Labour Party stated: “Chris Williamson is suspended from the Labour Party pending a hearing of the National Constitutional Committee, Labour's highest disciplinary body.