General election 2019: Labour campaign flattened by antisemitism scandal

Just how far the rot of anti-Semitism has spread within the Labour Party was illustrated today by the roll call of grim revelations contained within the Jewish Labour Movement’s official complaint to the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Many of these incidents were already known, but seeing them laid out one after another was powerful. What was a revelation, and of the most damning sort, was the fact that the key members of Corbyn’s staff not only determinedly denied an issue existed but repeatedly interfered in supposedly impartial disciplinary processes meant to root out antisemitism. These interventions prevented antisemites from facing serious consequences, let alone expulsion.

These explosive and revolting charges will likely mean that Labour’s latest big-ticket announcements – two five year plans to end homelessness in five years and to recruit 25,000 more teachers to ensure no class is bigger than 30 students – will not receive the attention they otherwise would have. It will also conceal the news that Labour’s dramatic promise to restore WASPI pensions will in fact disproportionately benefit the rich, while poorer pensioners may end up no better off. Still this is a bit like saying at the least the outbreak of plague will distract from a major gas leak. Coming out just one week before the election the leaked JLM complaint is poisonous.

The response by the Labour party and many of its supporters today has been the same wearying routine. Moderates express concern while Corbynite loyalists mixed denial and obfuscation with cries its all a Tory Zio smear to deny Labour the election. What about Tory Islamophobia they cry?

Indeed, what of it? Sajid Javid faced sharp questioning today on BBC Radio 4 over the issue. Javid is believed to have played a key role in pushing the party to investigate Islamophobia in its ranks. However, Javid was clearly uncomfortable faced with the issue of Johnson’s own comments comparing women in burqas to letterboxes. It seems criticism over the comments finally pushed Johnson to issue an apology for the article a few hours later.

While this came too late to save his prospective Chancellor from an awkward interview perhaps Johnson’s pitch for the first hundred days of Conservative government will help divert attention a little. Central to this was of course the pledge to “Get Brexit Done” but a February Budget, which would raise the National Insurance contribution threshold to £9500 was also touted. Other pledges for a new points-based immigration system, more money for the NHS, and ending automatic release of serious violent and sex offenders seem to be in keeping with the Conservative’s attempt to cultivate a mildly populist streak. The final proposal in particular seems a quick response to the London Bridge attack last Friday.

Indeed, the Brexit Party which Farage hoped to use to harry the Conservatives on their right flank continues its humiliating degeneration into irrelevance now that Johnson has cornered the Leave vote. Three Brexit party MEPs resigned the party whip today over its refusal to make way for the Conservatives in this election. John Longworth MEP was expelled earlier this week.

The most prominent of the resigning rebels is Annunziata Rees-Mogg. It seems that Jacob Rees-Mogg, taken off the national campaign trail and exiled to Somerset after his comments about Grenfell, has managed to win over at least one swing voter even if it is his own sister.

Speaking of growing irrelevance, the Liberal Democrats continue their campaign announcing plans to increase funding for research and development programmes to the tune of billions. The party is at last admitting its chances of gaining power seem remote. It will be staking a great deal of hope on the prospect of another hung parliament.

In her interview with Andrew Neil last night, leader Jo Swinson seemed to hint at a softening stance on cooperating with Jeremy Corbyn in such an event, despite previously ruling this out. The interview itself went rather well showing that a willingness to admit fault occasionally can help preserve dignity -a policy other politicians would do well to learn. Still it seems unlikely to be enough to stop the squeeze on the Lib Dem vote share.