Corbyn ally says Labour is in a ‘dark place’ over anti-semitism
Shadow business secretary admits party has lost faith of Jewish voters but blames a minority of members
LABOUR has failed to “win the faith of the Jewish community” or its own MPS on anti-semitism, one of Jeremy Corbyn’s closest allies has said.
Rebecca Long-bailey, the shadow business secretary, admitted Labour faced a battle to “restore faith” among British Jews and that the party was in a “very, very dark place” because of the actions of some members.
Amid a growing backlash over the party’s refusal to endorse an internationally recognised definition of antisemitism, Ms Bailey said that Labour would look again at its controversial new code of conduct, acknowledging “our failure to deal with it quickly”.
Her comments came after Labour’s governing body, the national executive committee (NEC), defied calls from Jewish leaders, including the Chief Rabbi, to adopt a definition of anti-semitism established by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.
At a chaotic meeting last week, the NEC voted to adopt its own version, which amended or dropped a number of examples of what constituted hatred against Jews. That decision incensed moderate Labour MPS and reignited a bitter row which had for months pitted Mr Corbyn’s allies against those who accused the party leadership of failing to crack down on anti-semites.
Insisting the decision had been well intentioned, Ms Long-bailey told BBC One’s The Andrew Marr Show: “We haven’t won the faith of the Jewish community, and indeed my own parliamentary colleagues have expressed concern. We recognise the concerns and that’s why it was right for the NEC to look at the code again and at consulting with the Jewish community to make sure we get it right.”
Her intervention has been interpreted as an attempt to head off a row at a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party this evening, when backbenchers will demand changes to the code governing MPS’ behaviour.
Louise Ellman, former chairman of the Jewish Labour Movement, will table a motion to adopt the full IHRA definition – a direct challenge to the NEC, which would have to grant approval for it to become part of the PLP’S code of conduct. Labour insiders say they are “confident” the motion will be passed and will reflect the “strength of feeling” among MPS.
Separately, the Labour-affiliated JLM, chaired by Luciana Berger, an MP, is threatening legal proceedings against the party under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Last night, Mr Corbyn urged the PLP to delay its motion until September, telling an audience in Dorset that the NEC had made an “honest attempt” to crack down on anti-semitism while still allowing “legitimate debate” on Israel.
During his talk at Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival, he also said he was “upset” Dame Margaret Hodge had branded him an “anti-semite” in Parliament. Liz Kendall MP described the party’s decision not to adopt the IHRA definition as a “catastrophic disaster”, adding it was a “shameful position” for Labour.