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BBC Panorama whistleblower selected as Labour's candidate against Tory Chairman James Cleverley
Cllr Joshua Garfield appeared on the programme in July and is to stand in Braintree in the election, now expected in December
October 29, 2019 10:05
Cllr Joshua Garfield appeared on the programme in July and is to stand in Braintree in the election, now expected in December
October 29, 2019 10:05A Jewish councillor who appeared on the BBC Panorama episode about Labour antisemitism has been selected to be the party's candidate to take on Tory Chairman James Cleverly.
Cllr Joshua Garfield, a Jewish Labour Movement officer who sits on Newham Council, was chosen on Monday evening to contest Braintree, where Mr Cleverley has an 18,422-majority. An election is now likely to be in December.
Mr Cleverly is a supporter of Brexit, and 62 per cent of voters in Braintree voted to leave the European Union in 2016.
On Monday Cllr Garfield tweeted: “It’s an honour to announce I’ve been selected to fight for Braintree at the next election. Hugely grateful for Braintree and Witham Labour members for putting their faith in me.
“Together we’ll fight the Tories and stop a no deal Brexit. I’ll see you on the campaign trail, James Cleverly.”
Cllr Garfield was among those to speak on the BBC programme, broadcast in July, which prompted the party to attack those who had spoken out as "disaffected".
"Speaking out about the anti-Jewish racism I have experienced and witnessed within the Labour Party has been one of the toughest things I’ve ever done," he wrote afterwards.
"Choosing to stand up and be counted is never an easy decision, especially when it is one which comes with great personal risk and an inevitable barrage of abuse, both online and offline.
"The alternative, to stay silent and thereby compliant in the face of anti-Jewish hostility, is, for me, a far more terrifying prospect."
He appeared on Victoria Derbyshire's BBC1 programme in July to debate Labour antisemitism and another panel member told the Al Jazeera 'The Lobby documentary showed "one of your people" "taking bribes", which Cllr Garfield tweeted about to say was antisemitic.
Catch a Labour member refer to the Al Jazeera ‘Lobby’ doc, turn to me and say ‘one of your people’ (i.e. Jews) on live Telly this morning.@etft24 and I commented to each other that the show felt like our twitter timeline brought to life.#VictoriaLIVE #LabourAntisemitism pic.twitter.com/mph4Ed1lmr
— Joshua Garfield (@JoshuaGarfield) July 11, 2019
Cllr Garfield is a former member of the pro-Jeremy Corbyn campaign group Momentum, which he quit last April saying he felt “unsafe and untrusted” as a Jew among members of his local branch.
“I cannot work alongside individuals who seek to silence the legitimate concerns of Jewish Labour members, or who remain silent in the face of blatant racism," he wrote as he stood down as youth officer of the branch for Newham in east London.
“Denying that antisemitism exists within the Labour Party, or in its affiliated organisations, factions, and supporters is misguided, ignorant and offensive.
“While some may seek to weaponise the issue, something cannot be weaponised if it doesn’t exist. Our Jewish comrades need solidarity, not faction based infighting.”
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