Both Hackney North and Sheffield Hallam have doubled down on Chris Williamson’s assertion that the Labour Party has been “too apologetic” in dealing with its anti-Semitism crisis.

Diane Abbott’s Constituency Labour Party passed a motion asserting “it is a scandal that we are allowing ourselves to be branded as a racist party” and urged the leadership to issue a statement “rejecting the accusation that the Labour Party is in any way ‘institutionally racist'”. For good measure the motion also called for immediate mandatory re-selection ballots of all MPs…

Sheffield Hallam Labour Party almost unanimously passed a motion of concern in the suspension of Chris Williamson, alleging that he has been “falsely accused of anti-Semitism” and put up by  an “establishment media” conspiracy promoting the idea that the Labour Party is institutionally anti-Semitic.

The Sheffield motion further alleges Chris Williamson has only been suspended “because he is one of the very few Labour MPs who have openly stood up to the witch-hunt of Corbyn supporters”. They resolved to write a letter of support to Chris Williamson and send a demand to Jennie Formby that Williamson is immediately reinstated as a Labour member…