What are the figures about reported antisemitism released by the Labour Party?

THE Labour Party found that there were 673 complaints of antisemitism from April 2018 to January 2019 – but only 12 were upheld.

Many have said that is not enough to tackle the long-running row over anitsemitisim in the party.

What was the letter about the latest figures?

Jennie Formby, the party’s general secretary, revealed figures over alleged acts of antisemitism by its members.

The 673 complaints represent about 0,1 per cent of the Labour Party’s membership.

From that figure, 96 were immediately suspended and furher 211 were told they would be investigated.

Another 146 members received a first warning and 220 cases did not have enough evidence for it to have breached party rules.

Of the 307 members who were suspended or notified of an investigation – 44 left the party.

Another 96 were referred to the party’s anti-Semitism Disputes Panel.

Of the 96, 16 members were issued with a formal warning six members’ cases were referred for further investigation, 25 members were issued with reminder of conduct and seven members’ cases with no further action taken.

In 37 of the cases, 12 members were expelled, six received sanctions and the rest await the outcome.

The party received a further 433 complaints about people who were not members of the Labour party.

What has been said about the figures?

After the letter was released on February 11, MPs unanimously passed a motion urging that more needs to be done to tackle antisemitism.

It also called for transparency on how people were being investigated and what were the specific punishments handed down.

Formby said: "I totally reject the suggestion that the existence of antisemitism in our party is a smear.

“I have seen hard evidence of it and that is why I have been so determined to do whatever is possible to eliminate it from the party."

Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge tweeted warning that the figures were not trustworthy.

She added she wasn’t convinced that the party’s leadership were “serious on rooting out antisemitism”.

Labour MP Catherine McKinnell touched on the “inability to produce data that predates 2018”.

A number of MPs and councillors have left the party in protest. Most of the eight parliamentarians who resigned from the party cited antisemitism as a factor in quitting, particularly Joan Ryan, who is chair of the Labour Friends of Israel group. She claimed that under Mr Corbyn the party had become an "institutionally anti-Semitic".

Brighton and Hove councillor Anne Meadow, whose husband is of Jewish descent, left the party to join the the Conservatives this morning.

She said: “The data we have does reveal the use of 'reminders of conduct' as a way of resolving a complaint without an investigation - it's not clear what criteria is being used.

"Somebody from the leadership needs to come so we can ask the questions and get some answers. We have ongoing concerns."

Labour MP Ruth Smeeth - who has suffered anti-Semitic abuse - added: "This is not over."

What's the latest?

Derby North MP Chris Williamson apologised for the slur today, saying he "deeply regrets" his comments.Labour bosses initially said he could stay in the party - but performed a U-turn after a torrent of rage from the party's MPs.Last night they confirmed Mr Williamson would be suspended while they investigate his history of inflammatory comments.

A Labour spokesman said: "Chris Williamson is suspended from the Party, and therefore the whip, pending investigation.

"It's understood party chiefs took the decision to suspend him after they discovered a "pattern of behaviour" which made it impossible to keep him in the party during the disciplinary probe.

Earlier deputy leader Tom Watson said Mr Williamson had to be suspended and probed immediately - branding his remarks “deliberately inflammatory”.In a furious blast, Theresa May questioned why

Mr Corbyn allowed the hard-left renegade to stay in Labour when Jewish MPs had been bullied out.

And Mr Corbyn’s predecessor Ed Miliband piled on the pressure by saying it was “a test of seriousness on our part about the whole issue,” adding: “Disciplinary action, not simply an apology, is required.”