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Miriam Mirwitch elected as Young Labour Chair

Mirwitch takes the chair role in a surprise victory for the centre-left

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Miriam Mirwitch, who has said her Jewish roots are central to her political values, has been elected as chair of Young Labour.

Ms Mirwitch beat Leigh Drennan, the candidate backed by Momentum, by a margin of under 100 votes.

After her victory, she said: "Delighted, honoured and a little shocked to have been elected as the new National Chair of @YoungLabourUK. A huge thank you to everyone who voted and supported the campaign. I can't wait to get started as your Chair."

She said her win showed that within the Labour youth movement her Jewish identity had "not got in the way. 

"We have come a long way. It is a great feeling to see the movement get behind me as I wear my Jewish identity on my sleeve." 

She said the small about of antisemitism she had expereinced during her campaign was a sign of a lack of education. 

"I'm passionate abut changing that," she said. 

"We are already seeing things like Shabbat friendly events  and I want to create an environment where everyone feels welcome, no matter your sex, race, or religion."

The 24-year-old is currently Young Labour disability officer and was London Young Labour Chair. Young Labour comprises more than 15,000 Labour members aged 14 to 27.

In a interview with the JC in February, Ms Mirwitch, from Isleworth, west London, was keen to play down talk of in-fighting within her party. "Things are getting better," she said, of the long-standing issue of antisemitism within the Labour movement. 

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

Ms Mirwitch, whose family are members of New West End Synagogue, central London, has 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.

 




 

 

 

 

 

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