‘Jews in gutter’ Secker “not pleased”
THE SECRETARY of Jewish Voice For Labour this week attempted to apologise for his ‘Jews in the gutter’ speech at a Palestinian rally which was exposed by the JC, insisting: “I am not pleased with the language I used.”
Glyn Secker, who is said to be under official investigation by Labour over his remarks, issued his “apology” on the JVL website — even though the proJeremy Corbyn group had previously said that the JC’s report was false.
Mr Secker, a former member of the Socialist Workers Party, wrote: “At the rally, which highlighted the deaths and injuries suffered by Gazans demonstrating for their freedom, I allowed my outrage to dictate my expression and I am not pleased with the language I used. I was referring to the small number of Jews who disgrace our communities by working with neo-fascist groups, and I was criticising those Jews in leading positions who fail to call them out.
“I was not referring of course to Jews in general, and I regret, and I am sorry, that my language allowed of this interpretation.
“The purpose of the demonstration was to assert support for Palestinian human rights in the face of Israeli oppression and I apologise if my message in any way detracted from this.”
Addressing a rally organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Mr Secker had described the Jewish Labour Movement, Labour deputy leader Tom Watson and Dame Margaret Hodge as a “fifth column” inside the party.
He also falsely attempted to link Jewish communal groups including the Zionist Federation with the far-right English Defence League.
Mr Secker’s speech was later widely condemned — but pro-Corbyn commentator Owen Jones still retweeted an incorrect assessment of the rally remarks written by hard-left online activist Jamie Stern-Weiner.
Mr Jones later accepted he needed to be more careful with what he retweeted on his account.
Mr Stern-Weiner accepted he was wrong to describe the JC’s report as a “lie.”
As a member of Dulwich and West Norwood Labour Party, Mr Secker has been the subject of repeated complaints from Jewish Labour members about his conduct.