Newmark refuses to stand down as Jewish Labour Movement chair, despite deception claims
Jeremy Newmark (centre) campaigning with JLM members in 2017 [Image: JLM/Twitter – from the JC].
“Jeremy Newmark has announced his decision to step down from his role as JLM National Chair to enable him to act in a clear and individual capacity in seeking redress following the publication of historic allegations about him and others during his tenure at the Jewish Leadership Council. Jeremy has refuted these allegations.
“Jeremy has been in discussion with the JLM NEC about establishing the best course of action for the Movement since Wednesday. At all times Jeremy has been clear that the position of the Movement is paramount. The claims made by the Jewish Chronicle earlier today suggesting otherwise, and describing the content of those discussion as well as making the specific allegation that Jeremy had been asked to resign and refused are completely untrue.
“The NEC will ensure that the important work of the Movement continues, and we look forward over the coming months to campaigning in the local elections, fighting for the rights of affiliated organisations within the Labour Party’s democracy review, and continuing to ensure the Party take robust action against antisemitism.”
One of Labour’s most persistent problems, recently, has been persistent vexatious complaints of anti-Semitism against people who were innocent. It will be interesting to see if these reduce in number now Mr Newmark has resigned.
It’s probably a good thing that it is unlikely that Mr Newmark will stand again as a Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green, as LabourList suggests.
There’s already a petition to have Mr Newmark reported to Labour’s National Constitutional Committee, for possible expulsion from the party. This Writer might meet him there!
PREVIOUSLY:
You can really understand why I didn’t want to go for ‘training’ with this organisation, can’t you? Especially under this leader!
Mr Newmark is facing serious allegations, backed up with documentary evidence – and is refusing to stand down as leader of the Jewish Labour Movement.
The organisation’s other leaders are worried about reputational damage, now that the allegations have come to light.
That’s fine, but let’s face the facts – thanks to Mr Newmark, the JLM’s reputation has been in trouble for a long time.
Senior Jewish Labour Movement figures have urged Jeremy Newmark to step down from his role leading the group following revelations in the JC.
But it is understood Mr Newmark has refused to resign as national movement chair.
Senior members of the group are now believed to be deeply concerned about the potential for reputational damage to the JLM if he remains in charge.
It emerged on Thursday that Mr Newmark, the former chief executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, was the subject of an internal audit into his conduct at the JLC.
The report alleged he had deceived the organisation out of tens of thousands of pounds and misled charities about the cost of the projects he worked on.
Following the revelations, JLM national executive committee members held an emergency conference call on Thursday night to discuss his future.
Only two of the JLM’s 18 NEC members are backing him and it is understood MPs in the group all believe he should go.
Source: Jewish Labour Movement calls on Jeremy Newmark to resign as chair – The Jewish Chronicle
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Mike – I understood from your previous posts on this topic that the reason you did not want to be subject to ‘training’ with this organisation was not that it was run by Newmark, but that such ‘training’ was quite unnecessary, and that to accept it would imply guilt of the alleged offence of “anti-semitism”. [For the record I do accept that you are one of many LP members against whom this unwarranted injustice has been perpetrated and that there is indeed no case to answer]
There must be thousands of folk in and out of the Labour Party, who have been flummoxed (to say the least) by the fixation of some its members with the concept of semitism.
If I was ever to be accused of “anti-semitism”, I am sure that I would be less than keen to subject myself to ‘training’ with an organisation whose raison d’etre seems to be based on one and only one particular understanding of semitism. I think I’d prefer a bit of variety at the very least!
So I do wonder who in the Labour Party decided that JLM be deemed the go-to supplier of such ‘training’, and on what basis?
Also, supposing that it is even possible for such an organisation to design such a programme of ‘training’ and deliver it to those deemed, by virtue of their questionable thinking or behaviour regarding semitism to require such, then on what basis would those subjects be deemed to have successfully completed it?
I also wonder if this ‘training’ has been offered before, either within or outside the Labour Party, and what sort of evaluations were received from participants.
I am also curious to know which body or authority is responsible for the external validation of this ‘training’. For instance, has it been assigned an NVQ level or other form of certification which would attest to its effectiveness or credibility? And do those delivering the ‘training’ have relevant qualifications in course design and delivery?
Surely, those attending such ‘training’ deserve at the very least the basic reassurance that the content conforms to the highest standards of accuracy and is delivered objectively and impartially by professionally qualified personnel.
Yes, my main reason for refusing the ‘training’ with JLM is that it would imply admission of guilt when I haven’t done anything wrong.
But JLM under its present leadership has a reputation for trying to set people up as anti-Semites, once it has them in its clutches – so we have the way Jackie Walker was recorded at a so-called “safe space” event, voicing her concerns in a place where people were encouraged to do so. The recording was then sent to the press as “proof” of anti-Semitism.
Your question is a good one. There are other Jewish socialist organisations around. Jewish Voices for Labour and the Jewish Socialists’ Group come to mind immediately.
But they have different ideologies from the JLM.
I believe this ‘training’ has been offered before (see my comments on Jackie Walker) but as I don’t know of anyone who has successfully completed it. I image one would have to display all the hallmarks of having been brainwashed by it.
Considering all these elements, I can only agree with your remaining comments.
” … the JLM’s reputation has been in trouble for a long time …” More than about five? years this has been _covered up_ init? And yet, they’ve let this conman represent them for that long, with such extensive persistent flagrant serial historic criminal evidence – [go read it!!!] And they have the gall to fabricate anti Semite smears willy nilly for UK domestic political attacks, in the process, causing deep distress and shame to many patriotic Jews!
After the recent Israeli government embassy employee’s conspiracy to attack UK domestic political appointees, perhaps JLM should take a step back from it’s entrenched political power base in the UK and concentrate on sorting out the interminable, persistent, genocidal, humanitarian disaster going on within it’s own borders and people.