Labour Party response to Panorama programme

A Labour Party spokesperson, responding to BBC Panorama’s programme, said:

“We completely reject any claim that Labour is antisemitic. We stand
in solidarity with Jewish people, and we’re taking decisive action to
root out antisemitism from our movement and society.

“The Panorama programme was not a fair or balanced investigation. It
was a seriously inaccurate, politically one-sided polemic, which
breached basic journalistic standards, invented quotes and edited emails
to change their meaning. It was an overtly biased intervention by the
BBC in party political controversy.

“An honest investigation into antisemitism in Labour and wider
society is in the public interest. The Panorama team instead
pre-determined an answer to the question posed by the programme’s title.

“No proper and serious attempt was made to understand our current
procedures for dealing with antisemitism, which is clearly essential to
reach a fair and balanced judgement. And Panorama distorted and
manipulated the truth and misrepresented evidence to present a biased
and selective account.

“We complained in advance to the BBC over the way the programme was
put together and its choice of a presenter who has expressed overt
personal and political hostility to Jeremy Corbyn’s politics. We will be
pursuing complaints at every level.

“The Labour Party will fully investigate any complaints concerning
the antisemitic incidents reported by party members in interviews in the
programme.

“Labour stands in solidarity with Jewish people and is fully
committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish
community and its organisations.

“Despite claims made in the programme, Labour is taking decisive
action against antisemitism. Since Jennie Formby became General
Secretary the rate at which antisemitism cases have been dealt with has
increased more than four-fold.

“We will build on the improvements to our procedures made under
Jennie Formby, and continue to act against this repugnant form of
racism.”