For UK Labour Antisemitism has been a festering sore. This issue could have and should have been dealt with earlier on in a far better way. As I said in my blog post about this during the election Jeremy Corbyn is not antisemitic. But this issue was poorly handled. By everyone in the party.
There have been cases of antisemitism in the Labour Party. Had Labour taken stronger action back in 2016 when former Labour London Mayor Ken Livingstone made some ill judged comments regarding Jewish people and Israel this may have helped. It is possible to support Palestinians, oppose and even condemn the actions of the Israeli state without being antisemitic. But Ken failed, and should have faced consequences much earlier.
It is no secret that Progress, Labour First and other involved in factional struggles used the antisemitism row to attack Corbyn’s leadership. In turn, Momentum and those supportive of Corbyn often responded to Antisemitism accusations saying it was a beat up by the right, and denied the problem. Neither faction come out of this looking good. Many of those on the NEC or senior roles in the Party who were investigating antisemitism, were in fact from the right/anti-Corbyn factions. For those on the left who in some cases denied antisemitism was an issue were in denial. Others dismissed it saying racism in the Tory Party was worse – which maybe true but in no way excuses it in Labour.
The UK’s Chief Rabbi’s intervention in the election may will have cost Labour votes. But the antisemitism row goes beyond Corbyn, or a left vs right of the Party struggle. It will now take years for Labour to regain the trust of the UK Jewish Community. A change of leader or factional power struggle won’t fix that. Further, the risk is that Labour activists may now shy away from expressing views on the situation in Palestine for fear of being labelled antisemitic.
The Board of Deputies for British Jews have asked current candidates for the Labour Leadership to sign up to 10 pledges which aim to end Antisemitism in Labour. Some of these pledges have caused concerns. Specifically pledge 8 about engaging with “the Jewish community via its main representative groups, and not fringe organisations or individuals.” Many Labour members are concerned that it is not clear what a fringe group is. When 50% of those with Jewish heritage in the UK do not belong to a synagogue for example, could many secular Jewish organisations be considered ‘fringe’.
Another concern is that the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which many supporters of Palestinians in the Party and else where are critical of. It is essential that a serious and respectful discussion occurs about the deadly conflict between Israel and Palestine. This can and must occur without fear of being labelled Antisemitic for criticising Israel (just as one should be able to criticise the actions of the Palestinian state without being called Islamophobic).
This issue continues to be hotly debated within UK Labour. It played a negative role in the 2019 General Election and throughout the last term of parliament. Whoever is the next UK Labour Leader will too face considerable challenge trying to address this issue.
Previous posts in this series
Why UK Labour Lost? Part 1: Historical Context
Why UK Labour lost? Part 2: UK Labour’s strange loyalty to First Past the Post
Crisis!!…talk about exaggeration.
Manufactured by the Tory spin machine and the pledge 'card' is giving it cred that this beat up does not warrant.
Possibly but Corbyn mishandled this spectacularly badly. His appearance in his interview with Andrew Neil where he refused to apologise four times to Labour party members who felt they had been victims of anti-semitism was a masive own goal. You don't make things better by pretending there isn't anything going on.
Did Mr Bridges ever apologise to the NZ Indian community here for saying he would rather have 2 Chinese or 1 Chinese and 1 Filipino M.P than 2 Indians?
What would you file that under!
Has the National party's support among those communities and/or the wider public been impacted by that? If not then why would Bridges need to apologise?
I imagine it has been impacted.
I can't measure the degree.
Indian citizens I have spoken to are not impressed.
Perhaps a pledge card is in order.
If it is impacting National party's support then they should address this issue and apologise to the particular communities. I see no evidence that it is and therefore there is no reason to apologise.
UK Labour's position on antisemitism did impact their wider support and how Corbyn handled the claims was risible (hence why it is being discussed as a factor in why they lost the recent election. You might think it shouldn't have been an issue but the fact is that it was and therefore demanded a response that was more decisive than what Corbyn provided.
I just gave you evidence that it has impacted.
As for the U.K situation,the MSM will act to make whatever their controllers decree, to become …an issue.
No, you gave me your opinion. If you were to give me evidence it would be something like a survey that highlights this as being a factor in people no longer supporting National.
this here is…opinion!
'I see no evidence that it is and therefore there is no reason to apologise.'
“I see nothing…”
So if doing something deeply immoral doesn't erode your support, then it's OK. Thanks for clearing that up, Gosman.
Lets calmly examine the ramifications.
https://www.jonathan-cook.net/2020-01-07/antisemitism-smear-left/
https://www.middleeasteye.net/features/endless-war-terror-we-are-all-doomed-become-palestinians
https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/business/.premium-this-israeli-face-recognition-startup-is-secretly-tracking-palestinians-1.7500359
Israel Is the Eighth Largest Arms Exporter In the World
https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3758095,00.html
Neil's interview was "Have you stopped beating your wife" journalism.
Corbyn was trying to explain that these cases of anti-semitism were still in the process of being independently investigated, and that he couldn't prejudice the investigation. Neil was just after a Gotcha.