Labour wants talks with Jewish critics over anti-Semitism
A SENIOR member of Labour’s shadow cabinet has urged Jewish critics to “come back into the room” and engage with the party over its approach to anti-Semitism.
Baroness Chakrabarti’s call came after Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC) agreed to incorporate the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism, including all its examples of prejudice against Jews, in the party’s code of conduct.
But Jewish groups hit out after the move was accompanied by a statement which said the party will ensure the changes do “not in any way undermine freedom of expression” on Israel or the rights of Palestinians.
And leader Jeremy Corbyn was attacked for his unsuccessful call for the NEC to accept a clarification that said it should not be considered anti-Semitic to describe Israel as racist.
Labour MPs and peers voted by 205 to eight yesterday to
Appeal: Baroness Chakrabarti
adopt the full IHRA definition and all its examples into the Parliamentary Labour Party’s standing orders.
Senior Labour backbencher Dame Margaret Hodge, who clashed with Mr Corbyn over anti-Semitism, said the leader had “sullied” the adoption of the IHRA definition by trying to amend it.
But Lady Chakrabarti, who conducted an inquiry into anti-Semitism for Mr Corbyn, insisted that the NEC’s additional statement did not dilute its commitment to fighting the problem.
The shadow attorney general told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “There was no sullying. The words were not a caveat, were not a dilution; the words are true, which is that accepting these examples, in my view, in no way negates reasonable free speech around these difficult issues around Israel and Palestine.”
Lady Chakrabarti said: “I say to everybody who has been hurt by this, this is the time to come back into the room for discussion.
“We have accepted these examples. It took so long because of genuine anxieties — however misplaced — about free speech on one of the most intractable problems in the world.
“Come back into the room. I will open the door. I will put the kettle on. But come back into the room because it’s time for reasonable debate.”
But Dame Margaret said Mr Corbyn had sought a “get-out clause” from the IHRA definition, telling Today: “It demonstrates to me a reluctance on his part, rather than a very public and intense acceptance of the need to deal with the issue.”