Campaign news

Labour, Antisemitism and Jeremy Corbyn

1st May 2016

Labour, Antisemitism and Jeremy Corbyn

Letter to Guardian 30.04.16

We are Jewish members and supporters of the Labour party and of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, who wish to put our perspective on the “antisemitism” controversy that has been widely debated in the last few weeks (Labour’s antisemitism crisis as Livingstone suspended, 29 April). We do not accept that antisemitism is “rife” in the Labour party. Of the examples that have been repeated in the media, many have been reported inaccurately, some are trivial, and a very few may be genuine examples of antisemitism. The tiny number of cases of real antisemitism need to be dealt with, but we are proud that the Labour party historically has been in the forefront of the fight against all forms of racism. We, personally, have not experienced any antisemitic prejudice in our dealings with Labour party colleagues.

We believe these accusations are part of a wider campaign against the Labour leadership, and they have been timed particularly to do damage to the Labour party and its prospects in elections in the coming week. As Jews, we are appalled that a serious issue is being used in this cynical and manipulative way, diverting attention from much more widespread examples of Islamophobia and xenophobia in the Conservative and other parties. We dissociate ourselves from the misleading attacks on Labour from some members of the Jewish community. We urge others, who may be confused or worried by recent publicity, to be sure that the Labour party, under its present progressive leadership, is a place where Jews are welcomed in a spirit of equality and solidarity.

Kate Adams
Julia Bard
Labina Basit
Shereen Benjamin
Rica Bird
Jenny Bloom
Alice Bondi
Elizabeth Carola
Ron Cohen
Judith Cravitz
Dave Curtis
Miriam E David
Sue Dellett
Ivor Dembina
Professor Stephen Deutsch
Merave Devere
Shlomit Ferguson
Mark Findlay
Hava Fleming
Dr William Fleming
Roisin Francis
Kenneth Fryde
Lynda Gilbert
Clare Glasman
Alex J Goldhill
Adam Goodkin
Stuart Goodman
Tony Graham
Tony Greenstein
Michele Hanson
Rosamine Hayeem
Abe Hayeem
Jane Henriques
Lorraine Hershon
Becka Seglow Hudson
Selma James
Saul Jamuels
Riva Joffe
Michael Kalmanovitz
David Kaye
Richard Kuper
Pam Laurance
Leah Levane
Rachel Lever
Sue Lukes
Eli Machover
Beryl Maizels
Miriam Margolyes
Stephen Marks
Helen Marks
Karen Merkel
Charles Shaar Murray
Professor Mica Nava
Diana Neslen
Bracha Newman
Rabbi Jeffrey Newman
Susan Pashkoff
Rina Picciotto
Caroline Raine
Roland Rance
Frances Rifkin
Dr Brian Robinson
Denise Robson
Jeff Daniel Rollin
David Rosenberg
Jonathan Rosenhead
Stephen Sands
Dr Ian Saville
Amanda Sebastyen
Glyn Secker
Elizabeth Segal
Lynne Segal
Ray Sirotkin
Steve Tiller
Ray Sirotkin
Inbar Tamari
Tirza Waisel
Sam Weinstein
Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi
Benjamin Young
Gill Yudkin
Professor John Yudkin

Background

By Ian Hodson It’s great news that a mainstream political party has recognised the importance of taking positive action to raise pay. Since 2008, politicians from all parties along with many in the media, have pushed the narrative that society will somehow improve by imposing austerity and blaming minority groups for the state of the country’s finances. Sadly, many have fallen for this deception and the ‘look over there’ politics that has rose to prominence since the Conservatives returned to power in 2010. [continue...]

Folkestone United – coming together to support migrants Bridget Chapman, Folkestone United, reports [continue...]

No Witch-Hunts In The GMB, Reinstate Keith Henderson (The Online Petition) Keith Henderson Essex LRC member and former Regional Organiser of the GMB Union was dismissed from the GMB last December, Keith has always believed that the real reason for his dismissal was because of his socialist beliefs and the manifestation of his beliefs. [continue...]

Please see our Labour Briefing Website here: LabourBriefing.org [continue...]

The LRC is supporting a broad alliance of campaign groups and trade unions against the proposals in the Welfare Reform Bill (currently before Parliament) and putting forward our alternative based on social justice and welfare for all. [continue...]

Across the country working people are losing their jobs and their homes. Meanwhile the bankers who plunged us into this crisis have been bailed out with billions of pounds of our money. It’s time to fight back. Their Crisis Not Ours! is the LRC’s campaign to bring together workers, pensioners, the unemployed, students, those facing repossession and all those suffering because of an economic crisis that has been imposed on us. The campaign is supporting the demands of the People’s Charter. [continue...]

Rail bosses are using the recession as an excuse to attack jobs and conditions and cut back on services and essential rail works, and hike rail fares - as LEAP research suggested they would. Thousands of jobs are being threatened or have been lost. At the same time rail fat cats are raking in big profits and bonuses on the back of the most expensive fares in Europe. Make no mistake: as the recession worsens so will the attack on rail workers and rail services. [continue...]

The campaign calling on the Government to abandon its plans for privatisation of Royal Mail. The Government has introduced the Postal Services Bill to part-privatise the Royal Mail. With our affiliate union CWU we are fighting to Keep the Post Public! [continue...]

The campaign to demand the Government funds improvements to all existing council housing, and to start building first class council homes to address housing need. For more information see Defend Council Housing website. [continue...]