'Poison' of anti-Semitism has taken root in UK's Labour - Chief Rabbi

By Kylie MacLellan

 

FILE PHOTO: Britain's Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, listens to the Chief Rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis speak to the media following a recent attack in Westminster, London, Britain March 24, 2017. REUTERS/Darren Staples/File Photo

 

LONDON (Reuters) - The poison of anti-Semitism “sanctioned from the top” has taken root in Britain’s opposition Labour Party, Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis said in an article published on Monday, warning the “soul of our nation is at stake” in next month’s election.

 

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights, has been dogged by criticism from members, lawmakers and Jewish leaders that he has failed to tackle anti-Semitism in the party despite a promise to do so.

 

“The question I am now most frequently asked is: What will become of Jews and Judaism in Britain if the Labour Party forms the next government? This anxiety is justified,” Mirvis, Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, wrote in an article for Tuesday’s edition of the Times newspaper.

 

He said the response of the party’s leadership as their supporters drove lawmakers, members and staff out of the party for challenging anti-Jewish racism had been “utterly inadequate” and claims the party was doing everything it could and had investigated every case were “mendacious fiction”.

 

“It is a failure to see this as a human problem rather than a political one. It is a failure of culture. It is a failure of leadership. A new poison – sanctioned from the top – has taken root in the Labour Party,” he wrote.

 

A spokesman for Labour, who are trailing Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservatives in the polls ahead of the Dec. 12 election, said Corbyn was a lifelong campaigner against anti-Semitism.

 

“A Labour government will guarantee the security of the Jewish community, defend and support the Jewish way of life, and combat rising anti-Semitism in our country and across Europe,” the spokesman said.

 

“We are taking robust action to root out anti-Semitism in the party, with swift suspensions, processes for rapid expulsions and an education programme for members,” he said.

 

Mirvis said that, while convention dictates that the chief rabbi stays away from party politics, challenging racism went beyond politics.

 

“How complicit in prejudice would a leader of Her Majesty’s opposition have to be to be considered unfit for office? Would associations with those who have incited hatred against Jews be enough? Would describing as ‘friends’ those who endorse the murder of Jews be enough? It seems not,” he said.

 

“When December 12 arrives, I ask every person to vote with their conscience. Be in no doubt, the very soul of our nation is at stake.”

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-11-26

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We'll we've heard your opinion, now back it up please.

‘Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights’.

 

Nuff said.

When members or devotees of the Labour Party cannot or will not admit that the Labour Party has antisemetic problems, they become part of the problem. 

Guess he'll be voting for Boris / Conservatives then. No? Just more complaining I suspect.

54 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

incited hatred against Jews

And how precisely did that occur?

 

55 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

our nation is at stake

No it's not. Not in the least.

Labour are finished in their present form so no worries there.  

I saw a couple of times accusations that Labor politicians are anti-Semites. 

But for whatever reason I never saw what these politicians are supposed to have done?

Is it so bad that it can't be repeated?

Or is it so harmless that nobody else noticed?

Where are a couple of samples what they have done? I would really like to make up my mind according to facts.

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

There are a couple of samples what they have done? I would really like to make up my mind according to facts.

I can tell you're not English.  Not a derogatory response either.

38 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

‘Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights’.

 

Nuff said.

Is there anything wrong with that? someone has to speak up for the poor bastards.

 

10 minutes ago, rayluttman said:

Is there anything wrong with that? someone has to speak up for the poor bastards.

 

I agree.

 

But don’t kid yourself, Israel and the pro-Israel lobby within the UK would rather the UK does not have a PM with a record of campaigning for Palestinian rights.

 

 

 

I've been a vice chair in a London constituency, and have campaigned alongside Ken L and George G.

Although i've been in Thailand for some years now I still keep myself informed. I'm a fully paid-up Labour member.

The amount of anti-Jewish occurrences in my time I could count on one hand.

"Resolution No. 672 referred to as the "Combating European Anti-Semitism Act of 2017" was submitted to Congress in 2017. In December 2018 it was approved by the Senate and on January 14. this year. signed by Donald Trump. - according to the US Congress website."

 

Sinking Empire and methods of modern warfare.

39 minutes ago, torturedsole said:

I can tell you're not English.  Not a derogatory response either.

 

Yes, "Johnny Foreigner", born anglophone or otherwise, tends to talk a lot more sense, and seek more rational arguments (about British Socio-Political issues) than do many, but by no means all, of the English who contribute to these pages.

 

I say English because most of the TVF "Brits" are English.

 

The prevalence of the "many", in Thailand, is what puts me in dread of being introduced to a fellow Englishman while I am there.

 

I do hope this has offended the correct people.

 

 

 

 

 

4 minutes ago, owl sees all said:

I've been a vice chair in a London constituency, and have campaigned alongside Ken L and George G.

Although i've been in Thailand for some years now I still keep myself informed. I'm a fully paid-up Labour member.

The amount of anti-Jewish occurrences in my time I could count on one hand.

9 Labour MPs have left the Labour Party due to the way Corbyn is handling the antisemetic problem, I have never known so many MPs and ex Labour MPs and Labour peers telling the voters to vote Tory, it's never happened before. At the end of the day Corbyn is the leader and with him the buck stops, he is to blame whether directly or indirectly.

Something very bad is happening to the Labour Party, it will take it a very long time to get back on track, if ever.

Here is lifelong Labour supporter and Jew Maureen Lipman giving her interpretation of what Labour has turned in to.

 

Religion is as bad as Mcdonalds get em while there young and fill them full of SH*TE

37 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

I saw a couple of times accusations that Labor politicians are anti-Semites. 

In UK, Labour are basically pro-Islam/ISIS, which secondly makes them pro-palestine, meaning they must be anti-semite

 

This is comparible to USA, where democrats are pro-Islam/ISIS, which secondly makes them pro-climate change

With the amount they want to borrow reaching 82 billion - before the 50 billion for the waspi women - it's less anti-semitism and more anti-realism.

 

Mind you, maybe I should look at it another way. One day I will return to the UK. In my old age according to Corbyn I'll have a great pension, great hospitals and free broadband. On the downside my kids will be paying 50% Income tax 

Same Old Same Old

Anyone who opposes what Israel has done, is doing, and will continue to do to the Palestinians is IMMEDIATELY branded an Anti Semite

Keep making these baseless, ignorant remarks and you will not see a decrease in Antisemitism but an increase as more and more people see for themselves what the agenda is.

We Can Do no Wrong !  End of ...

1 minute ago, RichardColeman said:

 On the downside my kids will be paying 50% Income tax 

I pay in Canada - as a single man - 42% right off the top

22 minutes ago, vogie said:

9 Labour MPs have left the Labour Party due to the way Corbyn is handling the antisemetic problem, I have never known so many MPs and ex Labour MPs and Labour peers telling the voters to vote Tory, it's never happened before. At the end of the day Corbyn is the leader and with him the buck stops, he is to blame whether directly or indirectly.

Something very bad is happening to the Labour Party, it will take it a very long time to get back on track, if ever.

Here is lifelong Labour supporter and Jew Maureen Lipman giving her interpretation of what Labour has turned in to.

 

What people say while they flounce and the real reason for their departure need not be one and the same. 

 

 

17 minutes ago, vogie said:

9 Labour MPs have left the Labour Party due to the way Corbyn is handling the antisemetic problem, I have never known so many MPs and ex Labour MPs and Labour peers telling the voters to vote Tory, it's never happened before. At the end of the day Corbyn is the leader and with him the buck stops, he is to blame whether directly or indirectly.

Something very bad is happening to the Labour Party, it will take it a very long time to get back on track, if ever.

Here is lifelong Labour supporter and Jew Maureen Lipman giving her interpretation of what Labour has turned in to.

 

 

You are right when you say something very bad has happened to the Labour Party; the shift away from the blue collar workers into the middle ground. Hopefully Jeremy can change this, but not without ditching the Blairites, and returning to grass roots.

It's not anti-Jewish to dislike the actions of Israel, or to disagree with one of the many pro-Israel groups.

Chris Williamson was treated disgracefully by the party, as was Ken Livingstone before him. The real enemies of the Labour party within, are the likes of Maggie Hodge (Dame M H) and it's lack of accountability at NE level.

 

Labour are filmed giving speeches on antisemitism and deny even saying it, they are out and out liars. 

 

"Denying the truth doesn't change the facts"

 

 

7 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

I pay in Canada - as a single man - 42% right off the top

Now I remember why I never went back. Oh! And the winter hey! 

MBE for Diane Abbott for services to mathematics should even it out once the Tories trounce Labour in a few weeks.  It's only fair.  

 

Not forgetting a Nobel Peace Prize to Jezza for services to peace and universal understanding.  Not.  

 

11 minutes ago, canthai55 said:

Anyone who opposes what Israel has done, is doing, and will continue to do to the Palestinians is IMMEDIATELY branded an Anti Semite

They could always make "denial" unlawful? or have they already done that!

3 minutes ago, CGW said:

They could always make "denial" unlawful? or have they already done that!

They did in France. 

>Anyone who opposes what Israel has done, is doing, and will continue to do to the Palestinians is IMMEDIATELY branded an Anti Semite 
>They could always make "denial" unlawful? or have they already done that! 

 

This is an example of the hatred and evil that has become so popular lately.

 

Holoocaust denial (which is what the poster means when he uses a stupid code word) is not unlawful, it is only a matter for the police when it promotes racial hatred.

 

Israel is and has always been opposed, and people have not been IMMEDIATELY branded an anti Semite. The Labour party has been very critical of Israel without accusations of race hate. This has only been a problem since Mr Corybn took over.

 

 

 

 
 

24 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

With the amount they want to borrow reaching 82 billion - before the 50 billion for the waspi women - it's less anti-semitism and more anti-realism.

 

Mind you, maybe I should look at it another way. One day I will return to the UK. In my old age according to Corbyn I'll have a great pension, great hospitals and free broadband. On the downside my kids will be paying 50% Income tax 

If the money is used the way it is in Denmark where the tax rate is 55%, most britons will be a lot better off.