Diversity minister still has ‘a lot of work’ to do
EIGHT WEEKS after being appointed Labour’s leading contact with British Jews, Dawn Butler has held her first meeting with communal leaders.
The Shadow Minister for Diverse Communities said Monday’s session in Westminster had been “robust, open and frank”.
But the understands that, while senior Jewish community figures believed Ms Butler had “made a real effort”, the discussion had not yielded any significant results.
“She didn’t really know what she was doing,” said one source. “The meeting did not really achieve a lot.”
Ms Butler met around a dozen representatives of the Jewish Leadership Council, Board of Deputies, Community Security Trust, Jewish Labour Movement and other groups, but her office declined to reveal which organisations had been invited, or provide further details of who had attended.
Participants were said to have complained to her about Labour’s response to allegations of antisemitism in the party. They also discussed disciplinary action being taken against party members who are currently suspended.
None of the Jewish organisations contacted by the would comment on the meeting.
Ms Butler, appointed during Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s reshuffle in October, said: “This was a robust, open andfrankgroupdiscussionattendedby a cross-section of stakeholder organisations from the Jewish community, as well as a representative from the Leader of the Opposition’s office.
“Many issues were raised, including certain live disciplinary cases, many of whichwillbeheardattheLabourParty’s NEC disputes panel in January.
“It is clear that there is a lot of worktodo,butIamdetermined that we will do what’s needed to restore the historically warm and trusting relationship between the Jewish communityandtheLabourParty that we all want to see.”
One attendee said: “I like her. She comes across well. Having ended up in this situ- ation, she wants to make the best of it. But it’s not quite clear what her brief is. “It’s classic Labour — they just don’t know how to engage with the community. If this new role fails, it won’t be Dawn’s fault.” The understands Ms Butler has remained cautious over her approach to the community because she “wants to get it right”. But it is believed she had not discussed Labour’s problems with antisemitism with her Jewish colleagues during her first month in the role. One insider said communal figures feltMsButlerhadbeenappointedbyMr Corbyn “to put a good signal out”, while simultaneously failing to take Jewish issues seriously. “Dawnistryinghardbutnot getting much support from the top,” another source said. Mr Corbyn had last year considered appointing a specific “Minister for Jews” to work with the community and improve Jewish relations with Labour.