BREAKING Jeremy Corbyn reinstated to Labour after ‘clarifying’ EHRC comments

Labour’s civil war over the party’s handling of anti-Semitism erupted last night after ex-leader Jeremy Corbyn was reinstated as an MP just weeks after being suspended for downplaying the extent of anti-Jewish racism.

But on Tuesday a panel of Labour’s National Executive Committee lifted his suspension and restored the whip.

Though The Mirror understands that the former Labour leader is yet to receive any notification of any conditions attached to him being reinstated.

In a statement early on Tuesday, Mr Cobyn tried to clarify the comments which saw him suspended last month in the wake of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s damning report into anti-Semitism in the party during his leadership.

Mr Corbyn acknowledged that concerns around anti-Semitism in Labour were not “exaggerated”, weeks after he was suspended for saying the problem was “dramatically overstated”.

Keir Starmer has vowed to give a tough response to restore the Jewish community’s faith in the party, but some MPs and activists fear a purge of the Labour left under his leadership.

A furious shadow cabinet insider told the Mirror the news was damning for both the party and Keir Starmer.

They said: “Keir Starmer couldn’t look more out of control if he tried – if winning control of your party is the first test on the road to Downing Street then we haven’t even left the house yet.”

Mr Corbyn’s suspension came after the human rights watchdog ruled that Labour broke equality law during his leadership over its handling of complaints of anti-Semitism.

Party general secretary David Evans did not suspend Mr Corbyn over the report, but his response to it.

Mr Corbyn had said that while “one anti-Semite is one too many” the “scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media”.

His statement was at odds with Sir Keir who said that anyone who suggested anti-Semitism was “all exaggerated, or a factional attack” should be “nowhere near the Labour Party”.

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Mr Corbyn’s allies, who had held rallies calling for him to be reinstated, celebrated the news.

Unite General Secretary Len McClusky said: Jeremy Corbyn’s readmission is the correct, fair and unifying decision.

“As a party we now move forward to implement the EHRC’s recommendations and redouble our efforts to inspire voters about Keir’s 10 pledges. and the transformation of our nations into fairer places for our people.

“Only Labour, united and strong, can bring this about.”

But the party’s official Jewish affiliate slammed the decision as “extraordinary” and branded the ex-Labour leader’s statement as “totally inadequate”.

A Jewish Labour Movement spokesperson said: “It is extraordinary that just weeks after the EHRC found that the Labour Party had discriminated against Jewish members through political manipulation of the disciplinary process, it appears that the Party expedited this case for hearing by a factionally aligned political committee.

“He has offered no apology for his total failure of leadership to tackle antisemitism in the Labour Party, or contrition for his role in allowing political manipulation of the disciplinary process by his own office in his name.

“Once again we find ourselves having to remind the Labour Party that Jeremy Corbyn is not the victim of Labour antisemitism – Jewish members are.”

Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, said the lifting of Jeremy Corbyn’s suspension showed “the Jewish community has been conned”.

He said: “The shambolic suspension and readmission of Jeremy Corbyn appears to have been nothing more than a media stunt to blunt the blow of the EHRC’s (Equality and Human Rights Commission) report last month.

And a prominent Labour critic of Mr Corbyn even went so far as to suggest that readmitting him may put the party back in the firing line.

Neil Coyle MP suggested the Equality and Human Rights Commission “may not be done” with the party in the wake of his readmittance.

He said: “The EHRC found the Labour Party guilty of unlawful discrimination and instructed us to implement a new, independent complaints process and end political interference.

“That could not be more demonstrably necessary. The EHRC may not be done with Labour yet.”

Amanda Milling MP, Co-Chairman of the Conservative Party, slammed Labour’s decision to readmit Mr Corbyn.

She said : “Keir Starmer is failing to stand up for British Jews.

“By allowing Jeremy Corbyn back into the Labour Party he is sending a message that the shameful antisemitism of recent years should be allowed to continue.”