Labour is on Tuesday set to publish the long-awaited Forde report into the contests of a leaked dossier about the handling of the party’s antisemitism crisis.
The report, a copy of which is now with party general secretary David Evans, will be presented to the party’s ruling national executive committee later today.
Keir Starmer commissioned the investigation in the early days of his leadership after a leaked dossier emerged containing evidence that Labour officials worked to undermine then leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Sir Keir appointed Martin Forde QC to look into the allegations in the dossier, which included evidenced suggestions of bullying, racism and sexism – as well as intense factionalism in the handling of antisemitism complaints.
Much of that evidence was based on leaked WhatsApp messages between officials from the party’s centrist faction working in Labour’s HQ but opposed to the party leadership.
The report has been much delayed, with reasons cited including legal action against Labour by some of those named in the leaked dossier, an investigation by the information commissioner into claimed data breaches, and the party’s own decision to sue people it accused of leaking the original dossier.
The national executive committee will agree at Tuesday lunchtime whether or not to publish the document, with Mr Evans expected to recommend its publication “as soon as possible today”.
It is likely that the report will be released on Tuesday afternoon, as the NEC meeting begins at 12pm and allies of Mr Evans have a majority on the committee.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Labour’s general secretary, David Evans, has now received the Forde report and he will be taking it to today’s National Executive Committee meeting with a clear recommendation that the NEC agree the publication of the report as soon as possible today.”
