Call from Scottish Labour MSPs for party to adopt international anti-semitism definition

Senior Scottish Labour politicians have urged the wider party to adopt the international definition of anti-Semitism in full.

MSPs Monica Lennon, Jackie Baillie, Anas Sarwar, Daniel Johnson and Colin Smyth have all expressed their support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's (IHRA) definition to be accepted in its entirety, including a list of examples.

The UK party and leader Jeremy Corbyn have been embroiled in a row over anti-Semitism, with three leading Jewish newspapers describing the failure to embrace the IHRA definition in full as ''sinister''.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has been urged to speak out on the issue.

In a social media post, Ms Lennon, Scottish Labour's communities, social security and equalities spokeswoman, said she had a ''lengthy and constructive'' meeting with representatives of the Jewish community.

''These discussions reinforced my view that the Labour Party should adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism and all 11 of its associated examples and further consultation by the NEC provides an opportunity for this,'' she said.

The priority now is to rebuild the trust and confidence of Jewish people who feel let down and hurt by the conduct of some Labour members and we'll only get there by working more closely with Jewish and equality organisations.

Jeremy Corbyn and Richard Leonard are both committed to fighting anti-Semitism as is the whole of the Labour Party.

I am grateful to Jewish organisations in Scotland for their guidance and willingness to engage with Scottish Labour on our internal review on equality and diversity issues.''

Ms Baillie, the party's economy spokeswoman, tweeted that adopting the IHRA definition was ''the right thing to do'' while health spokesman Mr Sarwar said the party ''must adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism now''.

Mr Johnson, justice spokesman, and Mr Smyth, who speaks for the party on rural issues, also told the Sunday Herald that they were in favour of the IHRA definition being adopted in full.

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: ''Richard Leonard has been very clear throughout his time as leader of Scottish Labour that he has zero tolerance of, and that there is no room for, anti-Semitism or any other form of racism in the party.

Labour's National Executive Committee did not reject the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism, the code of conduct adopts the IHRA definition and expands on and contextualises its examples to produce robust, legally sound guidelines that a political party can apply to disciplinary cases.

The Labour Party is continuing to consult with Jewish groups, organisations and Rabbis to ensure the code of conduct has the full confidence of the Jewish community.''