New female Labour youth chair inspired by her Jewish roots - The Jewish Chronicle

The new female chair of the largest Labour Party youth group in the country has told how her Jewish roots are central to her political values.

Miriam Mirwitch, 23, scored an impressive electoral victory last weekend, easily beating a candidate said to be closer to the Corbynite wing of the party, to the land the position at the helm of London Young Labour.

The group represent more than 15,000 Labour members aged 14 to 27.

But Ms Mirwitch, from Isleworth, west London, is keen to play down talk of in-fighting within her party - while having no problem discussing the importance of her own Jewish heritage.

"Things are getting better," she says, of the long-standing issue of antisemitism within the Labour movement.

"The fact that I was elected and also that a motion was passed unanimously stating there was 'no room for antisemitism in our movement' shows this.

"Because the election took place on a Saturday, we were able to introduce Sabbath-friendly votes, in which more religious members were able to still observe Shabbat while members of staff wrote out their votes.

"The Labour Party is really keen to make itself more accessible to the community."

Ms Mirwitch, whose family are members of New West End Synagogue, central London, says Labour needs to become "more welcoming for everyone" – a position which was at the root of her success in the election.

"My parents have always encouraged me to express an opinion and encouraged me to think that it is possible to change the world and to do everything we can to make people's lives better," she says.

"I do feel this stems from my culture."

She had previously been a member of her local Brentford and Isleworth party since she was 16, before studying at the London School of Economics, where she was on the committee of the Labour club.

"Over the past year colleagues just started telling me to stand for Young Labour saying they thought I’d be good at the job,” says Ms Mirwitch of her reason for putting herself forward for the leading role.

“The Jewish Labour Movement really encouraged me to stand too.”

Ms Mirwitch, who says she regards Clement Attlee, Harriet Harman and Tessa Jowell among the political figures who have most inspired her, accepts the party still has unresolved issues around Jew-hatred.

"I don't think it’s been completely rooted out yet - but we have made progress," she says.

"I think there are things the leadership can do better, like adopting the recommendations of the Home Affairs Select Committee report into antisemitism - and making sure Ken Livingstone's membership is not reinstated.

"But you only have to look at the fantastic work done by the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with the Jewish community.

"I am so proud to have a Muslim mayor who is so linked in with our community.

"We are stronger together. I stand strongly against all forms of Islamophobia, and likewise I have found it has been Muslim members who have stood firmly alongside me in the face of antisemitism."

Guardian columnist Owen Jones is to discuss antisemitism and the Middle East with former Labour candidate Sarah Sackman in a debate held in memory of a Jewish Labour stalwart.

The inaugural Jewish Labour Movement Henry Smith Memorial Lecture takes place on April 2 and will cover topics ranging from Jeremy Corbyn to Israel-Palestine.

Mr Smith, who was a vice-chair of the JLM, passed away in 2015.