UK Labour party accused by Rabbi of failing to wipe out anti-Semitism from party

[RandySF]

Britain's Chief Rabbi has lashed the opposition Labour Party, accusing it of sanctioning anti-Semitism "from the top" and warning that Jewish people have a right to feel anxious about their future if Labour wins the upcoming election.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, a veteran campaigner for Palestinian rights, has been dogged by criticism from members, politicians and Jewish leaders that he has failed to tackle anti-Semitism in the party despite a promise to do so.

"The question I am now most frequently asked is: what will become of Jews and Judaism in Britain if the Labour Party forms the next government? This anxiety is justified," Rabbi Mirvis wrote.

He said the response of the party's leadership as their supporters drove politicians, members and staff out of the party for challenging anti-Jewish racism had been "utterly inadequate", and claimed the party was doing everything it could and had investigated every case were "mendacious fiction".



https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-11-26/anti-semitism-has-taken-root-in-uk-labour-says-chief-rabbi/11738652

[SterlingPound]

1. It sounds like another "war on christmas"

declared by proxy from someone feeling self aggrieved.

[DavidDvorkin]

3. Far from it

It's real and a serious problem for Labour.

[Azathoth]

2. Corbyn needs to go. Labour is committing suicide by keeping him

This is the Hillary Syndrome times a million. Overt right-wing clowns like Boris are getting their hands on power because the sane opposition has shackled.itself to a profoundly disliked person.

[Kentonio]

4. The Rabbi is also a big Boris Johnson supporter incidentally..

[rockfordfile]

10. Is that true? if so then the guy is idiot

[Behind the Aegis]

5. Good.

Sadly, few will give a shit. Such is life. We already know this.

[Mc Mike]

6. Boris Johnson is closely tied to nazi Steve Bannon.

There sure are a lot of neo nazis on the Farage Johnson brexit side of things, I notice.

Odd that Rabbi Mirvis doesn't feel the need to weigh in on that.

[SterlingPound]

7. exactly

why is it such a big problem suddenly for labor when the torries once again are getting a pass


Criticizing Israel for horrendous actions on the world stage is not anti antisemitism.

[Mc Mike]

8. I can't see backing any Labor M.P. candidate who is anti-semitic or neo-fascist.

But I haven't been seeing any high profile Labor officials' or candidates' names tied to nazis, or any nazi backing incidents on Labor's side.

On the other hand, there's no need to go 'six degrees of kevin bacon' to jump from nazis to bannon to Johnson and Farage. Bannon doesn't want his kids going to school with little sheriffs, for example.

This rabbi seems as honest in his religious persecution feelings as my co-religious catholic 'defender' Bill Donohue, even if the Rabbi has more actual religious authority from which to speak.

[Behind the Aegis]

9. One doesn't need to point out one to criticize the other.

However, I will agree this is often the case that those who are willing to call anti-Semitism on their opponents fail to look in their own house and call out those anti-Semites as well. Both sides are almost completely blind to the anti-Semitism in their own ranks. It is nothing more than a case of rock throwers; both standing in shards of glass. In the case of this rabbi, he will dismissed as nothing more than a Johnson supporter and those in Labour (and their defenders) will whine they are the real victims because they are just being "truth tellers".

Anti-Semitism doesn't begin and end with "kike".

[Mc Mike]

11. Well, I respect your insights as a post-er here.

I don't know what anti-semitism has been coming from Corbyn or his mps, no Tommy Robinsons or Steve Bannons that I can see on the Labor side. We know Bannon is a nazi, we know he's hooked into Johnson and tRump. Then we get to hear how much tRump and Johnson are opposed to 'anti-semitism'. They're nazis.

I don't believe there is a blindness from the Brexit side about their anti-semites, it's a feature, not a bug. It is extremely unusual for a religious leader to weigh in during a UK political campaign, and I feel it is obviously proffered in bad faith, since the Rabbi isn't making a high profile statement about both sides.