Labour drops disciplinary action against Margaret Hodge over 'anti-Semitic Corbyn' row
2 min read
Labour has dropped its disciplinary action against Margaret Hodge for calling Jeremy Corbyn "an anti-Semitic racist".
In a humiliating climbdown, Labour general secretary Jennie Formby wrote to the veteran Jewish MP telling her no further action would be taken against her.
Barking MP Mrs Hodge - who lost relatives in the Holocaust - hit out at Mr Corbyn after Labour failed to fully adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance's definition of anti-Semitism.
She has since repeatedly insisted that she stands by her comments, which were made in the House of Commons to the Labour leader's face.
The following day, Mr Corbyn's spokesman announced that "action will be taken" against Mrs Hodge, who responded by threatening to take legal action against the party.
But a Labour source said: "The general secretary has written to Margaret Hodge to end the investigation into alleged abusive behaviour and inform her that no further action will be taken.
"The letter follows Hodge expressing regret to the chief whip for the manner in which she raised her views."
Mrs Hodge tweeted her satisfaction at the announcement - but dismissed the Labour's source's claim that she had expressed regret.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell and Labour deputy leader Tom Watson were among the Labour figures who called for the party to drop its action against Mrs Hodge.
The decision to end the proceedings avoids the possibility of a potentially-lenghty legal battle between the former minister and Labour bosses.
However, it is understood that a separate probe into fellow backbencher Ian Austin, who was involved in an angry confrontation with Labour chairman Ian Lavery over the IHRA row, is still ongoing.
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