A MUCH-DELAYED report into claims of racism, anti-Semitism and bullying in the Labour Party has revealed “serious problems of discrimination” and racism throughout its ranks. 

The Forde Report, led by Martin Forde QC, was commissioned by Sir Keir Starmer in 2020 after leaked WhatsApp messages unearthed damaging factionalism with racist comments directed at black MPs.

The report faced multiple delays as party HQ staff mentioned in the initial dossier launched legal action against its publication. Alleged data breaches were also investigated by the Information Commissioner.

The damning report, which was scrutinised by Labour’s governing body the National Executive Committee (NEC) this morning before publication, has stoked tensions in the party. 

The report laid out that there was “undoubted overt and underlying racism and sexism” in WhatsApp messages exchanged by senior staff members.

In the messages an official was quoted as referring to MP Diane Abbott as “truly repulsive” and “a very angry woman.”

On one occasion, staff shared information about Abbott crying in a toilet and suggested journalists should be tipped off.

Fellow black MPs Dawn Butler and Clive Lewis – who are on the leftwing of the party – were also subjected to abuse.

The messages suggest that elements within the party were working against the then leader, Jeremy Corbyn.

Officials denied that the messages were discriminatory and said she was only scrutinised over her performance in the light of the Brexit vote. Some claimed they had treated the MP for Hackney and Stoke Newington just the same as white male MPs.

However, the bombshell report dismissed these claims saying: “MPs of colour and female MPs were not always treated during the relevant period in the same way as their white/male counterparts within the Party and within Parliament”, before highlighting how Ms Abbott had been victim to “expressions of visceral disgust” and “racist tropes.” 

Tropes

The report went on to slam how several decades of racial bias aimed against Abbott in the public domain should have been considered carefully in party member’s responses to her, even if these were unconscious.

Lewis and Butler told The Voice that Labour were not taking allegations of racism seriously enough.

Lewis said: “People have waited long enough for the report, but I don’t think it really takes a report to acknowledge that the Labour Party, like most institutions, struggles with structural racism.

“Having waited this long the party has shown that it can tackle some forms of racism very robustly. Now people will be watching the leadership of the party to see whether they can tackle all forms of racism within the party as robustly.

“The report has clearly identified things that need to change. There are sections in there that don’t make for easy reading.”

He added: “The party has shown, Keir Starmer has shown, as have the NEC, how robust they can be on some forms of racism, which is to be applauded. 

“Now they need to show if they can be as robust on all forms of racism, including anti-black racism.”

The 860-page document was scathing about how racism was able to fester in the Labour Party through beliefs that “unless you are criticising someone because of the colour of their skin, you are not being racist.”

Although the Forde Report praised some progress made for sexual harrassment and misogyny, it called for racial discrimination to be treated with the same importance.

Disdain

The report said: “Racism in the Party is not experienced by individuals solely through acts of aggression or microaggression towards then personally – it is experienced through seeing colleagues being passed over for promotion; being the only person from an ethnic minority background around a meeting table; being managed by a near-exclusively white senior team; and hearing the particular disdain which colleagues reserve for (for example) ethnic minority MPs, councillors and CLP members.”

It also pushed back against those we denied any racist, homophobic, or sexist discrimination taking place, and said “we have no reason to doubt the sincerity of what they said.

“However, we also note that those who are not themselves in groups likely to be discriminated against often find it harder to recognise discrimination where it arises, especially given the subtle ways in which it often manifests itself and the blind spots which progressive individuals sometimes have when it comes to recognising it within their own ranks.”

One mixed-race party member said they were “distraught about the lack of urgency when dealing with incidents of Islamaphobia, racism and sexual harrassment due to the organisational priority being Anti-semitism.”

MP Dawn Butler described the “hierachy of racism” in the Labour Party as “most hurtful” by members of staff.

“Without reflection and in a knee jerk response, it seems that some in the Labour Party have already begun telling the media that the report proves there was no sabotage in 2017. This is disappointing because it is a detailed report of 138 pages. I am still reading it. From what I have read, the actual evidence outlined in the Forde report finds that there was some sabotage and this upsets me greatly as someone who worked my socks off for a Labour victory in 2017 and 2019,” she said.

Disgraceful

“The WhatsApp messages also reveal factional and discriminatory attitudes from senior Party officials. I was ridiculed for calling out the racism that exists within the Party and this current response is part of the problem.

“What will count now is what the Party Leadership does in response to the report’s findings to root out these attitudes once and for all, and to ensure that the Party lives up to the values of equality it says its holds. I have written to Keir Starmer and David Evans and they have agreed to meet with myself, Diane Abbott and Clive Lewis who were all mentioned in the leaked report. I will have more to say once I have read and absorbed the report.”

Hilary Schan, Co-chair of left-wing organisation Peoples Momentum, said: “Going forward we need more than just apologies. In addition to careful consideration of the report’s findings.

“And we need the delayed implementation of Labour’s BAME structures to be accelerated, given the widespread racism exposed within Labour and the Leadership’s documented failures to address it.

“Keir Starmer has faced major questions over his commitment to both anti-racism and democracy – now is his opportunity to answer them.”

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Forde Report details a party that was out of control. Keir Starmer is now in control and has made real progress in ridding the party of the destructive factionalism and unacceptable culture that did so much damage previously and contributed to our defeat in 2019.”

However there is growing alarm among some activists that Labour are about to ditch the race equality policies they currently have.

According to a Labour insider, Starmer wants to bin Labour’s 2019 manifesto pledges on race equality.

Pledges made in the 2019 Race and Faith manifesto include a commitment to carry out an audit of the impact of Britain’s colonial legacies in government, which could open the door to reparations for enslavement.

Promises

Other pledges include the promise to work towards eliminating racial inequality in the economy, and to review all major spending announcements for its impact on BAME communities.

A well-placed Labour source told The Voice the race and faith policies were “not official party policy”, however a former NEC source said the pledges were definitely part of Labour’s last manifesto.

Almost two years ago Starmer promised Labour would introduce a Race Equality Act in government but there is very little information on what it might contain.

Last year, Starmer’s equalities spokesperson, Marsha de Cordova, quit in part over frustration with the leaders’ team blocking the development of race equality policy.

Black voters were instrumental in Labour victories in the May local elections, with the party’s best results coming in areas with a high African and Caribbean population like Wandsworth, Southwark and Walthamstow.

Yet of the 20 Labour candidates picked so far to fight the next general election, none are black, and two are Asian, one of whom is already a sitting MP.

Starmer is coming under increasing pressure over abandoning his 10 pledges to Labour members when he was running to be leader.

There is also frustration among some members who claim party HQ is dragging its’ feet over the 2018 promise to establish an organisation to represent BAME members.

It is believed that Labour are still in favour of some commitments made in the 2019 manifesto, namely introducing all-BAME shortlists for party selections and bringing in ethnicity pay monitoring.