Antisemitism in International Human Rights Bodies

Lord Walney Excerpts

Thursday 26th March 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

I am not aware of any international organisation that we fund where we have direct capability to hire and fire. That is not how multilateral organisations tend to work. As I have said, we raise concerns directly and openly about the conduct of individuals, as and when that is the right thing to do. We will continue to work in that way.

[Lord Walney (CB)]

My Lords—

[Lord Mann (Lab)]

My Lords—

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, we will hear from the Cross Benches next and then the Labour Benches.

[Lord Walney (CB)]

My Lords, does the Minister accept that the UN Human Rights Council has placed a disproportionate focus on Israel over the years? If she does accept that, what will the Government do to genuinely combat the institutional antisemitism that that can entrench?

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

As my friend the noble Lord will know, we are opposed to item 7 in the Human Rights Council, and we will use our leadership to try to persuade others that that is not an appropriate item to have. That is probably what he is getting at, and I suspect we probably agree.