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Trade union leaders accused of 'playing with fire' over antisemitism

As Labour conference opens, MP Dame Louise Ellman delivers a strong message at packed fringe meeting

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Dame Louise Ellman has accused trade union chiefs Len McCluskey and Mark Serwotka of "playing with fire" over their attempts to blame Labour's continued antisemitism crisis on the Jewish community and Israel.

In a blistering speech to Jewish Labour Movement supporters at a packed fringe rally on the first day of Labour’s annual conference in Liverpool, Dame Louise singled out the two union leaders for particular criticism over recent controversial comments.

The Liverpool Riverside MP said: "Len McCluskey, the powerful general secretary of Unite who spoke about the Jewish community showing 'truculent hostility' - truculent hostility when we speak up against antisemtism being displayed against us, what's that from a major trade union leader?"

She then highlighted PCS chief Mark Serwotka's suggestion last week that Israel was behind the antisemitism row.

"For major trade union leaders to not only smear the Jewish community and Jewish people for speaking out against antisemitism but then trying to blame them for it, I think we are entering into very dangerous waters," she said.

"They are playing with fire and I call on them to withdraw those appalling statements."

The Sunday lunchtime JLM event saw high-profile MPs  - including Ruth Smeeth, Luciana Berger, Stella Creasy, Rosie Duffield, Alex Sobel, Ian Austin and Wes Streeting - all deliver defiant messages to the party leadership over their failure to stem the continued crisis over anti-Jewish conduct.

Liverpool Princes Street Rabbi Ariel Abel and Reform Rabbi Laura Janner Klausner also addressed the three hundred strong crowd in the full-to-capacity room as JLM members, along with Richard Angell, from the centre-left Progress group, Nick Forbes, the leader of Newcastle County Council and Labour MEP Seb Dance.

In an emotional speech, Rosie Duffield, the Canterbury Labour MP, who narrowly avoided a no confidence vote in her local party over her show of support for Jewish MPs, said: “I'm not Jewish, I am a gentile and I was raised a Catholic.

"But I have always been aware of antisemitism. I went to Auschwitz when I was eighteen. It changed everything I thought I always knew about the situation.

"I defy all of those who repeat any of the antisemtism tropes on social media to go there.

"I think they should be sent there by the Labour Party to see what people went through.

"I don't think this as a left v right issue - we are all here to stand up against racism.

"We can't pick or choose which bits of racism we like. Imagine if the word Jewish was exchanged for gay black or asian. It is not acceptable."

Speaking to rapturous applause, Luciana Berger, the parliamentary chairwoman of the JLM, told the rally: "If you troll Jewish people on Twitter and Facebook, if you share anti-Jewish images - and it's not just on social media - if you also repeat lies and smears against Jewish people, if you talk about 'weaponising' antisemitism, if you support Holocaust denial, you are not Labour. You are not welcome."

The Liverpool Wavertee MP hit out at "last-minute and utterly shameful" attempts to alter the international definition of antisemitism before the party's ruling body eventually accepted it.

She added the JLM represented "socialist values of solidarity" and added "what matters now is draining the swamp" and dealing with allegations of antisemitism.

There was also loud applause for Ruth Smeeth, the Jewish MP for Stoke on Trent, who said she felt like she was repeating a speech she had made at the same venue two years ago as she stressed she believed it was right to "stay, fight," and "win" the battle against Jew-hate from within Mr Corbyn's party.

But she added it had been a "crap year" and "it's been a tough, tough job being a Jewish Labour MP".

Dudley North MP Ian Austin attacked the Labour activists who "two years ago wouldn't have even known where Israel was on a map now think that they know more about antisemitism than all of you and almost the entire Jewish community."

Mr Austin, currently suspended from Labour after confronting Party chairman Ian Lavery over antisemitism, added: “They refer to Israel as a racist endeavour - which is an appalling way to refer to Holocaust survivors who wanted a home of their own.

"I am afraid this is the poison that has been brought into our party."

In a surprise appearance, Momentum founder Jon Lansman told the rally "we've all been on a journey" over the antisemitism row and stressed that he had chosen to attend the event "as a Jew".

He added: "As socialists it is difficult for all of us to have to accept that we have a problem with any form of hatred in the party."

"I would welcome now a period of calm and reflection, I hope that Jewish communal organisations will now re-engage with the party."

Mr Lansman's speech received only muted applause. He later refused to answer questions at the door of the venue over Mr Corbyn's appearance on the BBC's Andrew Marr show earlier on Sunday in which he failed to apologise personally for antisemitism.

In further well received speeches Ilford MP Wes Stressing attacked the double standards of Labour MPs, who are quick to attack Boris Johnson over allegations he made Islamophobic remarks about the burqa, but who then criticise those from within their own party calling out antisemitism.

Mr Stressing said he expected "higher standards" of Labour.

Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy drew laughter as she started her speech by wishing the crowd "Shana Tova" before saying "somebody told me you guys don't get irony."

This referred to recent reports of Mr Corbyn's past speech in which he attacked British "Zionist" over their alleged humour failure.

Rabbi Abel cited Mr Corbyn's "unacceptable" support for anti-Zionism as evidence that the Labour leader was "not" able to accept the adoption of the full IHRA antisemitism code.

MP Alex Sobel described the "onslaught" of antisemitism he had received over his involvement in the Polish anti-defamation law debates in parliament.

But he also attacked Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over his alliance with right wing Hungarian leader Viktor Orban which he likened to throwing Jews in the UK "under a bus."

Progress leader Ruchard Angell said that "what is happening in the Labour Party now is not normal and it should not be normalised" as he warned of a rise in populism.

Nick Forbes, who sits on Labour's ruling national executive committee (NEC) claimed he had been one of those who had "challenged" left-winger Pete Willsman over his controversial remarks on antisemitism which were exposed by the JC earlier this summer. 

 

 

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