I will now hand over to my good friend and political comrade, Adam Samuels, who has written the must-read piece below about anti- Semitism within the Labour Party.
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Is there some anti-Semitism within The Labour Party? Yes. The Labour Party is part of society, so, unfortunately, yes. This must never be denied and always be condemned. We should always be the ones setting the standards as a passionate anti-racist party. The extent of this anti-Semitism is, factually, LESS-considerably less-than the general population and LESS than the other main parties. FACTUALLY. As is the case with any type of racism. FACTUALLY.
Therefore, one has to at least wonder why the Chief Rabbi-who openly supports Boris Johnson-who openly makes racist & homophobic comments (Johnson), and Netanyahu-who is a racist, brutal and responsible for thousands of Palestinian deaths along with the Israeli forces, is coming forward now, with NO NEW ‘EVIDENCE’. The UN and many other organisation describe Netanyahu’s Israel as an Apartheid State. Because it defined itself as such with the Nation State law-literally distinguishing those who identify as Jewish as being on a different level to anyone else in Israel.
I also wonder WHY the Chief Rabbi is not condemning the very obvious anti-Semitism in other parties, especially the CONservatives-given election candidates have been withdrawn/suspended for Holocaust denial, given the Tories are officially affiliated with Hungary’s openly anti-Semitic government, given incidents of anti-Semitism in the CONservative Party are far higher. Given the rampant Islamophobia in the Tory Party not even mentioned by the Chief Rabbi. So, WHY?! Given the Tories have NOT implemented the IHRA as Labour has…
The cynic in me, seeing how passionately Jeremy Corbyn & Labour defend the rights of both Palestinians and Muslims & all citizens of Israel and Jewish people, is wondering WHY, as Labour surge in the opinion polls, and with no new evidence-and actual outright lies, the Chief Rabbi comes forward at this time? Now, it is the media’s job to report such things, I am not condemning them for this. What I AM condemning them for is not mentioning any of what I have just written, or not countering things, or not questioning the Chief Rabbi in a way the media would, in a democracy of any note.
Which then leads to me, genuinely, almost with in tears in my eyes, given all of the above-given my family history on one side is Jewish-something as serious as the cancer of anti-Semitism, while of course not denying its existence, can be used in such a way against someone so obviously, passionately, anti-racist with a track record to prove it. So I have no interest in stoking hatred, aggression etc. Just fair play, context and condemnation of those who deserve it. Which is certainly not those actively opposing anti-Semitism in all its forms. The best example of which I can see of any political leader, is Jeremy Corbyn.
