Who Paid for It?

Newham Labour Group appears to have paid for the Hirsh Report into antisemitism in Newham Labour at a cost of £3,000. David Hirsh an academic from Goldsmith’s College and previously associated with Socialist Organiser, was contracted to conduct an investigation and produce a report, which he did.

He was critical of postings by several Labour Party members for contributions which he felt were clearly antisemitic and of the inaction of leading members of the council and the local party. 

We are told that the costs of this were borne by the Labour Group. This it seems came as a surprise to members of the Newham Labour Group because none of them had been aware of it. 

It is difficult to be sure of this because the current Treasurer Cllr Pushpaq Makwana, has failed to provide accounts for the last three years. So not only do they not know what they have spent money on, they don’t know what money they have left.

Members of Newham Labour Group are left asking, or rather have given up asking, ‘Who authorised the commissioning of the report and the budget?’ Perhaps they will get to know, sometime after May 2022. Until then members are left to disappear down the rabbit hole in an attempt to determine who did what and when.