Sacked professor David Miller has hit out at critics following his dismissal by the University of Bristol, telling a meeting that Zionism must be “dismantled” so Britain can “move towards socialism”.
In a virtual address, the former lecturer told members of recently formed group Labour Campaign for Free Speech (LCFS), “the Labour Party is effectively a prisoner of the Zionist movement and the Israeli state”.
Mr Miller condemned “a campaign of harassment and bullying of me... which in the end has been successful”.
He claimed his work caused the “Zionist movement” to attack him because “I’ve produced quite a substantial evidence base on the role of the Israel lobby, of the Zionist movement more generally, and the role of the Israeli government”.
Speaking on a video webinar sacked professor David Miller says that the 'Zionism is a form of racism and it needs to be dismantled' pic.twitter.com/i8rBbZUZkg
— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) October 13, 2021
LCFS was formed in February to, among other things, oppose the IHRA definition of antisemitism. It has called upon Labour members to refuse antisemitism training provided by the Jewish Labour Movement, claiming the group has been “doing everything in its power to weaponise false and exaggerated charges of antisemitism in order to undermine Jeremy Corbyn”.
In an interview with Iranian state channel Press TV, Mr Miller said about his dismissal he condemned a “campaign led by the Israeli government… to silence all of those who would in any way support Palestinian rights”.
Former Labour MP Chris Williamson, suspended from the party in 2019 after claiming Labour had been “too apologetic” over antisemitism, said on social media of Mr Miller’s sacking: “This decision will further embolden those who want to silence prominent critics of Israel.”
Rapper Lowkey alleged on Twitter that former Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick, who called for the inflammatory lecturer to be fired, has “a direct connection to Israeli intelligence”.
Muslim news outlet 5Pillars broadcast a comment from a viewer who said “Targeting israeli think tanks and pro zionist academics is a must now [sic].”
Mr Miller was dismissed by the University of Bristol earlier this month. He had been under investigation since March. Mr Miller has been contacted for comment.
