The Labour Party civil war continues as the party agrees to pay “substantial damages” to seven whistleblowers over “defamatory and false allegations” made following a BBC Panorama investigation into Anti-semitism.

Corbynistas like Owen Jones called the investigation “a hatchet job”. Owen ranted that it was “one of the most tawdry pieces of journalism I have ever seen produced by a broadcaster claiming impartiality… a documentary which basically just presented old news stories set to a sinister soundtrack, with red-baiting McCarthyite talk of “lifelong Marxists” flooding the party added in for good measure.”

Not sure where this leaves the Carter-Ruck challenge to the Labour Party over the proffering of this apology financed by Unite on behalf of Corbyn, Formby* and Milne…

UPDATE:

An apology from the Labour Party to Kat Buckingham, Michael Creighton, Samuel Matthews, Dan Hogan, Louise Withers Green, Benjamin Westerman and Martha Robinson 

The Labour Party has today issued an unreserved apology to the former members of staff who contributed to a BBC Panorama programme about antisemitism within the Labour Party in July 2019.

Before the broadcast of the programme, the Labour Party issued a press release that contained defamatory and false allegations about these Whistleblowers. 

We acknowledge the many years of dedicated and committed service that the Whistleblowers have given to the Labour Party as members and as staff. We appreciate their valuable contribution at all levels of the Party. 

We unreservedly withdraw all allegations of bad faith, malice and lying. We would like to apologise unreservedly for the distress, embarrassment and hurt caused by their publication.  We have agreed to pay them damages.

Under the leadership of Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner, we are committed to tackling antisemitism within the Labour Party. Antisemitism has been a stain on the Labour Party in recent years. It has caused unacceptable and unimaginable levels of grief and distress for many in the Jewish community, as well as members of staff.

If we are to restore the trust of the Jewish community, we must demonstrate a change of leadership. That means being open, transparent and respecting the right of whistleblowers. We are determined to deliver that change.

*Very gallant of Len McCluskey to use his member’s subs to defend the honour of the mother of his child.