Labour activist Tony Greenstein has been expelled from the
party over allegations of antisemitism.
The Brighton-based member was suspended in 2016 and a
disciplinary hearing into his conduct was delayed until January for health
reasons.
HuffPost UK understands the charges against him related to
abusive online behaviour, including the use of the word “Zio”.
A Labour spokesperson confirmed on Sunday that the party’s
National Constitutional Committee had found him guilty on three counts of
breaching its rulebook.
They added: “The NCC of the Labour Party has today found
that all three charges of a breach of the Labour Party’s rule 2.1.8 by Tony
Greenstein have been found proved.
“The NCC
consequently determined that the sanction for the breach of Labour Party rules
will be expelled from membership.
“The Labour Party
will make no further comment on this matter.”
Party rules state that no Labour member should engage in
conduct which “might reasonably be seen to demonstrate hostility or prejudice
based on age; disability; gender reassignment or identity; marriage and civil
partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex; or sexual
orientation”.
Greenstein is vice-chair of the Labour Against the
Witchhunt group, which challenges the suspension of hard-left party members.
A spokesperson for the Jewish Labour Movement said: “We
welcome the decision by the Labour Party to expel Tony Greenstein.
“His continued
membership is at complete odds with our collective values of solidarity,
tolerance and respect.
“Deliberately
harassing, intimidatory and hateful language of the kind Tony Greenstein has
continually used has no place inside the Labour movement.
“Despite the
unacceptably long time it has taken to reach this conclusion, we are heartened
that the party has sent out a clear message on this today.
“We will continue
to press the party to deal firmly and swiftly with antisemitism including the
high number of cases that are still waiting to be resolved.”
