Ian Acheson Ian Acheson

The equality watchdog’s probe leaves Labour with a painful choice

Today’s confirmation that the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is launching a formal investigation of the Labour party has huge personal significance for me. I was the chief operating officer for the Commission between 2012 and 2015, responsible for redesigning the approach to statutory enquiries and investigations. I also had a role in making the Commission a warmer house for Jews. The EHRC I joined was not an organisation beloved of the state. Unfortunately this was not a function of its fearless independence, more that it wasn’t taken terribly seriously with a poor reputation amongst ministers. Budget cuts and obsessive introspection by some staff who regarded the body as a pressure group for leftist causes had seriously imperilled its very existence. Gradually, the organisation recovered ground. Sharper focus and staff turnover have resulted in a transformed Commission led by an outstanding chief executive Rebecca Hilsenrath, my former colleague. Enforcement action by the EHRC has resulted, amongst other things, in better protection for gig economy workers, the striking down of fees for employment tribunals, better safeguards for looked after children and the ending of gender segregation in religious schools. The list is long and impressive. This is a serious organisation. While I was at the EHRC, I felt for some time that in terms of our enforcement activity, Jewish people seemed absent from the large number of individuals and organisations who routinely asked for help. Reaching out to the Jewish Community Security Trust, meetings with the Board of Deputies and Jewish student leaders helped ensure that Jews knew the country’s equality watchdog had their interests at heart too. I am sure this building of trust and confidence has been instrumental in today’s landmark decision to investigate Labour, apparently on the basis of evidence submitted to it by Jewish organisations. The commission is not light on lawyers.

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