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JLM warns against ‘parlour games’ with Labour

National Secretary Peter Mason says some in the community want to draw "an artificial line in the sand"

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In what is thought to be a thinly veiled reference to the Board of Deputies, Peter Mason, the national secretary of the Jewish Labour Movement,  has criticised  "those in the community who seemingly wish to draw an artificial line in the sand, reverting relationships with the Labour Party to that which came before Corbyn."

Writing 48 hours after JLM held a meeting with the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, and just one day after the Board of Deputies demanded action from Labour over 11 disciplinary cases that it said needed resolution, Mr Mason warned against  "parlour meetings and parlour games in the mistaken belief that asking for things to happen will make it so.’’

He added: "The world has moved on from this model, and so has the Labour Party.’’

In an op-ed for the Jewish News, Mr Mason referred to the unity displayed by communal organisations during the ‘Enough Is Enough’ demonstration outside parliament when 4000 people protested about Jeremy Corbyn’s failure to tackle  antisemitism.

He wrote: “Despite some notable exceptions, one of the hallmarks of Labour’s antisemitism crisis was the notable absence of friends and allies outside the community.”

Hinting that tensions are now emerging within the community, Mr Mason said: “Our hope this time is that we will have bolder friends and allies supporting us as we continue to lead the charge, who allow us to finish a fight that we didn’t start, with our community behind us  every step along the way.’’

 

 

 

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