‘A get out of jail free card for racists’
Backlash over latest move in anti-Semitism furore
Labour has been accused of giving racists a “get out of jail card” in a backlash over its latest move to deal with the party’s anti-Semitism row.
All of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s examples of antiSemitic behaviour have been adopted by the party’s National Executive Committee.
LABOUR HAS been accused of giving racists a “get out of jail card” in a backlash over its latest move to deal with the party’s antiSemitism row.
All of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) examples of anti-Semitic behaviour have now been adopted by the party’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), prompting Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson to say: “I hope that today is the start of a new conversation with the Jewish community in Britain.”
However the party has been heavy criticised however for issuing an accompanying statement that it said it will ensure the move does “not in any way undermine freedom of expression” on Israel or the rights of Palestinians.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has also been attacked after reports he wanted the NEC to accept a clarification that said it should not be considered antiSemitic to describe Israel as racist.
Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) said the party “appears determined to provide a safe space for anti-Semites”.
Critics had claimed that the wording of the IHRA examples could prevent criticism of the Israeli government’s actions against Palestinians but the leadership faced intense pressure to accept them in full.
Mr Watson, shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer were among the senior party figures to call for the move in recent weeks, but the statement on freedom of expression has infuriated campaigners.
LFI director Jennifer Gerber said: “It is appalling that the Labour Party has once again ignored the Jewish community: that it should adopt the full IHRA definition without additions, omissions or caveats.
“A ‘freedom of expression on Israel’ clause is unnecessary and totally undermines the other examples the party has supposedly just adopted.”
Labour Against AntiSemitism said the move “appears to be about protecting the freedom of racists to present vile views”.
A spokesman said: “There can be no caveats, no conditions and no compromises with racism.
“We are disappointed by the decision of Labour’s governing body, the NEC, to diminish the IHRA working definition of antiSemitism via the attachment of a ‘clarification’ that risks giving racists in the party a get out of jail card.”
Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said accepting the examples had been “long overdue”.
“We need to see firm action taken against anti-Semites and those who bring the party in to disrepute by denying the problem of anti-Semitism,” she said, adding that Mr Jeremy Corbyn needs to apologise for past anti-Semitic comments and affiliations.
Rival groups held protests outside Labour’s HQ as the NEC met to discuss how to defuse the row that has simmered for months.
Shadow Cabinet minister Rebecca Long-Bailey said the party was not trying to “water them down” when it agreed a statement alongside the examples.
Mr Corbyn told the meeting that Labour was committed to “eradicating the social cancer of anti-Semitism” as he spoke of the “deep concern and pain” across the party over the loss of confidence among Jewish communities. He said that clarifications were needed to ensure the rights of Palestinians or their supporters were not undermined.
Labour will now re-invite Jewish groups to take part in its ongoing consultation on its code of conduct.
I hope today is the start of a new conversation with the Jewish community. Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour Party