68 rabbis call on Labour to stop ignoring Jews over anti-Semitism

LEADING rabbis have written a letter saying Labour is ignoring the Jewish community, as one of the party’s MPs accused it of institutional racism.

The letter, jointly signed by 68 British rabbis from across the political spectrum, said Labour was acting in an ‘insulting and arrogant way’.

It comes ahead of a crunch meeting of the party’s executive committee today on its anti-Semitism code of conduct.

Last night, Labour MPs overwhelmingly passed a motion calling on the party to adopt the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Semitism.

It will be seen as a rebuke to the leadership who are refusing to include examples set out by the widely accepted definition

‘Acting in an insulting and arrogant way’

such as comparing Israelis to Nazis. At a parliamentary Labour party (PLP) meeting last night, several MPs condemned the refusal to adopt the definition.

Former Labour leadership candidate MP Chuka Umunna said the party’s treatment of the Jewish community met the Macpherson report’s definition of institutional racism.

Labour MP Wes Streeting tweeted about the letter: ‘I am sorry one of my local rabbis had to sign this. I spoke for his concerns tonight at PLP and will continue to do so.’

In what is believed to be an unprecedented move, the rabbis sent a letter to the Guardian condemning Labour’s treatment of the Jewish community.

‘Antisemitism within sections of the Labour party has become so severe and widespread that we must speak out with one Jewish voice,’ the letter said. ‘The Labour party’s leadership has chosen to ignore those who understand anti-Semitism the best, the Jewish community.’

The letter said it was ‘not the Labour party’s place to rewrite a definition of antiSemitism’ also accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service, the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and 124 councils.