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Opinion

Don't be grateful Emily Thornberry condemned the abuse Rachel Riley faced over Labour antisemitism

Tweets from senior Labour figures now and again will not fix the party's toxic behaviour towards Jews, says Rosa Doherty

January 11, 2019 10:41
Shadow Foreign Secretary Emily Thornberry
2 min read

Yesterday, Emily Thornberry tweeted her support for Countdown’s Rachel Riley, who is Jewish, and has been increasingly outspoken on left-wing antisemitism and, by extension, has been abused and told she is trying to smear the Labour Party.

Ever lifted a rock in playground only to chuck it back down when the insects come running out? That was Thornberry’s replies.

The attacks on her might be the reason, 99.9 per cent of the time this happens, Labour’s senior figures tweet nothing at all.

And yet the fact that someone close to the Corbyn machine –which has allowed this problem to manifest - actually said something, had some of us feeling grateful. This is understandable but it is wrong.