Is this how we beat the Labour witch-hunt?
Chris Williamson brandishes his Morning Star.
Two interesting developments in the Labour anti-Semitism witch-hunt story have crossed my desk today.
The first is an appeal from Jews For Justice For Palestinians, which is almost certainly a group of what the pro-Israeli-government, pro-Zionist lobby might call “the wrong kind of Jews”. It runs as follows:
Protect Labour’s reputation. Protect its ability to speak up for Palestinians
The misnamed Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) has stated that its goal is the eviction of Jeremy Corbyn from public life.
To this end, the CAA has referred the Labour Party to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) alleging ‘institutional antisemitism’.
The Chief Executive of the EHRC already stated in 2017 that Labour ‘must do more to establish that it is not a racist party’. She did so on the basis of hearsay that had not been investigated and in fact was false.
Notwithstanding its reckless and cavalier record on this issue, the EHRC’s judgement is likely to carry weight in public discussion.
The CAA is now soliciting testimonies from Labour Party members in support of its complaint.
The time Is now for the silent majority of labour Jews to stand up and be counted!
Resist the cynical attack on the Labour Party!
Resist the trivialisation and instrumentalisation of antisemitism!
Defend the Labor Party’s ability to support Palestinian rights
If you believe Labour is being misrepresented and traduced, now is the time to speak up.
We need your testimonies about your experiences in the Labour Party to submit to the EHRC.
Send them ASAP to: [email protected] by Friday 31 August 2018.
Now the Morning Star has published comments by Labour backbencher Chris Williamson, calling for the backstabbers in the party – those who have attempted to undermine Mr Corbyn’s leadership by supporting the witch-hunt, despite its absurd lack of evidence – to get back in line or be removed.
The article states:
“Any MP not prepared to work for a Labour victory should resign and, if they won’t, grassroots members should replace them,” Mr Williamson argued.
“That’s why I hope conference will back Labour International’s motion to introduce open selections to make it easier for members to hold their MPs to account.”
The motion backed by Mr Williamson is one of four proposals to reform the way MPs are selected that could be discussed by delegates at conference.
It calls for a list of candidates to be presented to all members of a constituency party by a shortlisting committee before each election and guarantees the sitting MP’s right to be on the shortlist.
If passed, it would end the current model where sitting MPs are automatically reselected unless they cannot muster the support of half of all party and affiliated branches in a trigger ballot.
The system is open to abuse as branches and affiliates all count the same regardless of size and members can only choose between being happy or unhappy with the sitting MP, while alternative candidates don’t get a look-in.
The Derby North MP said the left should mobilise behind the Labour International motion, pointing out that “there are several motions and we could end up losing the lot if we don’t get behind one.
“In my opinion the Labour International one is by far the best.”
This Writer will certainly try to send information to the EHRC before the deadline.
However, as my Labour Party membership is currently suspended due to false claims of anti-Semitism by – among others – the Campaign Against Antisemitism, I must rely on my colleagues in the party to support Mr Williamson’s call to action.
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Thanks for this Mike. As someone who is also the ‘wrong kind of Jew’ I will certainly contact the EHRC and give my testimony. As a Jew I am incandescent with anger that this smear campaign has been allowed to go on for so long and will simply result in furthering the Right and real antisemitism.
Once again, Mike, thanks for your work on this. Invaluable-you are doing more to fight real antisemitism that those so-called ‘representatives’ of the Jewish community.
I, too, for like I said, in the past, we, the blacks, are now being dragged into this. This is bad for everybody.
You might be out of the Labour Party at the moment, but you could consider making a formal complaint about CAAS to the Charity Commission. As they are a registered Charity, and are required to be ‘balanced’ in relation to political issues, where are their complaints about the higher reported levels of anti-semitism in the Tory and UKIP parties, never mind the BNP? Here is a template letter I’ve drawn up to complain to them [I’ve sent mine], then the Charity Commission, about CAAS’ lack of balance: _______________________________
Gideon Falter
Chair
Campaign Against Antisemitism
PO Box 2647
London
W1A 3RB
Dear Gideon Falter
You will be aware that recently, in relation to the Institute for Economic Affairs, a Charity Commission [CC] spokesperson is reported as stating that: “charities can play an important role in informing the public,” ….“The law is clear, however, that they must do so in a balanced and neutral way. There are clear rules for charities regarding political activity that form a key part of both charity law and public expectations.”
I am concerned about your Charity’s ‘political activities’, which seem to be in clear breach of your responsibilities as a registered charity, and I wish to make a formal complaint.
I am also going to make a formal complaint to the Charity Commission, if you are not able to satisfy me that you are not acting outside of the regulations governing the political activities of registered charities, but their online advice is that I should first approach a representative of the charity itself.
The Charity Commission published guidance, Campaigning and political activity guidance for charities (CC9), includes the following:
1.1 Key points about campaigning and political activity [extracts]
• legal requirement: in the political arena, a charity must stress its independence and ensure that any involvement it has with political parties is balanced.
• a charity can campaign using emotive or controversial material, where this is lawful and justifiable in the context of the campaign. Such material must be factually accurate and have a legitimate evidence base
On the first point there is no perceptible ‘balance’ in your activities that I can see, as your published material and public activities seem mainly criticism of the leadership of the Labour Party and its attitude to the issue of Palestinian rights and Israeli state policy, conflated with claims of anti-semitism [within the Labour Party], and factually I can see no basis for your charity’s approach, when recently published research:-
Antisemitism in contemporary Great Britain, by 2 Jewish organisations,
Jewish Institute for Policy Research & the Community Security Trust
found that:
“Looking at the political spectrum of British society, the most antisemitic group consists of those who identify as very right-wing. In this group about 14% hold hard-core antisemitic attitudes and 52% hold at least one attitude, compared again to 3.6% and 30% in the general population. The very left-wing, and, in fact, all political groups located on the left, are no more antisemitic than the general population. This finding may come as a surprise to those who maintain that in today’s political reality, the left is the more serious, or at least, an equally serious source of antisemitism, than the right.”
I have not seen this reflected in your public statements and activities, so the balance necessary for your activities to be lawful as a charity seems to be contradicted.
I would be interested to hear what activities your charity is undertaking to ensure political balance in your activities.
If I do not hear from you within 14 days I will assume that I am not going to receive a reply.
I look forward to your response to my observations; which you may take as a formal complaint.
Yours etc