Exclusive: Jo Bird – suspended earlier this year over her inflammatory antisemitism remarks – is being presented to local members as candidate to replace the Jewish MP who quit the party over Jew-hate
October 20, 2019 15:30
Labour activists are lining up a councillor who was investigated for antisemitism earlier this year to replace Dame Louise Ellman, who quit the party saying Jew-hate was now "mainstream" in the party.
Jo Bird was suspended by Labour after the JC exposed a series of inflammatory speeches she had made which included claims there was a “privileging of racism against Jews” over other forms of discrimination.
The Jewish Voice For Labour member also repeatedly joked about what she called “Jew process” at activist meetings and claimed it had been wrong to expel Marc Wadsworth from Labour after his confrontation with Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth.
She sparked further fury by adapting the famous ‘First they came for...’ Holocaust poem by German theologian Martin Niemoller to include the line: “They came for the anti-Zionists, and I stood up because I was not a target, I stood up in solidarity."
The comments were widely condemned, including by Countdown star Rachel Riley, and Cllr Bird was suspended pending investigation in March.
Despite widespread anger about Cllr Bird's conduct, she was subsequently reinstated by Labour only weeks later.
Now, in a move described by one member of Liverpool Riverside Labour Party as a “disgrace” and “the ultimate insult”, Cllr Bird is being introduced to all members at an event taking place on Sunday evening
A message circulated to local members by activist Helen Collins says: "Many Riverside members are keen for Cllr Jo Bird to stand to become our MP. All members are welcome to meet her this evening."
Reacting to the moves to promote the Wirral councillor as Dame Louise's successor, local member Malcolm Kennedy said: "For her to be selected would be an outrage."
The JC understands Cllr Bird had initially sounded out standing in the neighbouring Liverpool Wavertree seat as a replacement for Luciana Berger, the Jewish MP who also quit the party over antisemitism and is now standing as the Liberal Democrat candidate in Finchley and Golders Green.
But, sources said, Cllr Bird was told that she stood more chance of success in Riverside, as the Wavertree Labour candidate is likely to be Brexiteer Paula Barker, who is backed by the powerful Unite union.
Dame Louise resigned from Labour last week after 55 years in the party citing rampant antisemitism within the party, and her fear about the prospect of Jeremy Corbyn becoming prime minister.
She has represented Liverpool Riverside since 1997 but, after Mr Corbyn became leader, experienced an upsurge in attacks on her from hard-left activists – many citing her support for the state of Israel and her membership of the Jewish Labour Movement and Labour Friends of Israel.
A report conducted by Labour's ruling National Executive Committee highlighted how the Jewish MP was regularly targeted by activists at party meetings who proceeded to question her about Israel at every opportunity rather than discussing more pressing local matters.
The JC also revealed how at least three branches in Liverpool Riverside had proposed motions demanding Dame Louise's resignation – with the St Michael's branch staging its meeting on Yom Kippur.
In the wake of the MP's resignation, Riverside members were among those to make false claims about the Jewish MP's views on Israel and the Palestinians.
One senior member of Liverpool Riverside attacked Momentum founder Jon Lansman as a "Zionist".
On Sunday, one Labour MP told the JC: "The fact that we are even talking about replacing Dame Louise Ellman – a legendary figure of our movement – with someone like Jo Bird says it all."
