Labour may have "unlawfully discriminated" against people over antisemitism claims, the equality watchdog has said.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has said it could take enforcement action over the complaints, ranging from a voluntary agreement to address the issues raised to a full-blown investigation.

It will be contacting the party to set out its concerns and ask for a response within 14 days.

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If the watchdog finds that response to be unsatisfactory, it could then launch a formal investigation.

A spokesman said: "Having received a number of complaints regarding antisemitism in the Labour Party, we believe Labour may have unlawfully discriminated against people because of their ethnicity and religious beliefs.


"Our concerns are sufficient for us to consider using our statutory enforcement powers.

"As set out in our enforcement policy, we are now engaging with the Labour Party to give them an opportunity to respond."

Labour said it rejected "completely" any suggestion the party had acted unlawfully and would be co-operating "fully" with the EHRC.

"Labour is fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and its organisations," a spokesman said.

"Antisemitism complaints received since April 2018 relate to about 0.1% of our membership, but one anti-Semite in our party is one too many.

"We are determined to tackle antisemitism and root it out of our party."

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A formal investigation would see the EHRC request interviews with top Labour figures.

The watchdog would also be able to demand access to correspondence, emails and other information to determine how the party dealt with antisemitism allegations.

The action from the EHRC has been taken in response to complaints from a number of organisations and individuals, including the Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Its chairman, Gideon Falter, said: "The Labour Party has repeatedly failed to address its own antisemitism problem, resulting in MPs and members abandoning the party.

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"It is a sad indictment that the once great anti-racist Labour Party is now being investigated by the equality and human rights regulator it established just a decade ago."

He added that the Jewish community had "gone to every conceivable length" to persuade the party to act, but found their efforts "persistently rebuffed".

"We had no option but to seek an external, impartial investigation, and that is why we asked the Equality and Human Rights Commission to investigate illegal anti-Semitic discrimination and victimisation in the institutionally racist Labour Party," Mr Falter said.

"We commend the commission for acting on our referral and we have full confidence in the commission to investigate thoroughly and deliver justice."

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The Jewish Labour Movement said it had got in touch with the watchdog in November, asking it to investigate the allegation Labour was "institutionally antisemitic".

"After years of anti-Jewish racism experienced by our members, and a long pattern of denial, obfuscation and inaction by those with the power and ability to do something about it, we felt there was little choice but to secure a fully independent inquiry, not encumbered by corrupted internal practices," it said in a statement.

"Everything that has happened in the months since our referral supports our view that the Labour Party is now institutionally antisemitic."

The Board of Deputies of British Jews welcomed the EHRC's announcement, with President Marie van der Zyl saying: "This proposed independent investigation confirms what the Jewish community has known for a long time: that the Labour leadership has a problem with anti-Jewish racism which it is unable or unwilling to solve."