UK equalities body probes Labour Party over anti-Semitism
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, left, is gifted a spinach, asparagus and mushroom pie baked by local resident Gavin Williams who he met whilst out canvassing in Worthing, West Sussex, England, Wednesday, May 23, 2019 as voters head to the polls for the European Parliament election. Voters in Britain and the Netherlands are the first to cast their ballots in the four-day election for members of the European Parliament. (Andrew Matthews/PA via AP)
Britain's human rights watchdog says it is investigating whether the country's main opposition Labour Party is guilty of illegal anti-Semitism.
The Equality and Human Rights Commission says it is examining whether the party "unlawfully discriminated against, harassed or victimized people because they are Jewish."
Labour has been riven by allegations that the party has become hostile to Jews under leader Jeremy Corbyn, a longtime supporter of the Palestinians.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Labour said Tuesday it was "fully committed to the support, defense and celebration of the Jewish community and is implacably opposed to anti-Semitism in any form."
But lawmaker Luciana Berger, who quit Labour earlier this year in part over anti-Semitism, said "the threshold to initiate this process is extremely high. That the Labour Party has even met the evidenciary threshold is damning."