Sir Keir Starmer said former Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn would not run for the party in the next general election, as he pledged to take a “zero tolerance” approach to anti-Semitism.
Speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, the opposition leader reiterated his apology “to all those hurt” and “those who suffered the most appalling abuse” and stressed that , under him, Labor changed “permanent, fundamental, irreversible”.
Starmer’s comments mark his sharpest rift with Corbyn, who served as leader from 2015 to 2020, and come after the UK’s equality watchdog said it” satisfied with the actions” made by Labor to tackle anti-Semitism.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission said it had “concluded” [its] monitoring” at the end of January because they were “satisfied that Labor has taken the necessary actions to improve . . . procedures required by law”.
Welcoming ECHR’s decision as a “critical moment”, star said it also represents “a moment to apologize again”.
“To all the hurt, all the disappointed, all the people kicked out of our party, the people who no longer feel like their home, the people who have suffered abuse. Today, on behalf of the entire Labor Party, I say: sorry, he said.
Stressing that it will “never” be occupied by “narrow interests,” Starmer also confirmed that Corbyn would not represent the party at the next election. “What I said about the party changing, I mean, and we’re not going back, and that’s why Jeremy Corbyn is not going to be the Labor Party candidate,” he said. .
Currently, Corbyn is an independent MP for Islington North after he suspension of work in October 2020.
Corbyn’s suspension comes after the ECHR said in October 2020 that its investigation into anti-Semitism within the party had “identified serious failures in leadership” and “an inadequate process” adequate to handle complaints of anti-Semitism”.
The watchdog, which began its investigation in May 2019, called on Labor to put together an “action plan” and found that “anti-Semitism . . . could have been handled more effectively if management had chosen to do so.”
Corbyn’s comments after the report was published in 2020, in which he argued that the level of anti-Semitism in the party had been exaggerated, prompted Starmer to withdraw his whip.
Acknowledging that his work is not yet “done”, Starmer on Wednesday said his “zero tolerance” stance on the matter is part of an effort to “bring this party back to the British people”. “.
Work will “never lose its purpose or morality again. And it will never again succumb to racism or bigotry.
“If you don’t like that, if you don’t like the changes we’ve made, I say the door is open and you can leave.”
Corbyn has been contacted by the Financial Times for comment.
