Labour Party and anti semitism

Anniebach you must live a sheltered life if you think anti Semitism was not happening until JC became leader! How ridiculous! Where I lived in London the local synagogue was targeted by the local NF and I, along with many others joined the protest and stood outside the synagogue decrying the assault & showing solidarity with the Jewish worshippers. I was a member of the anti Nazi league in the 70s because of the open racism and anti semitism being promoted at that time so brazenly.

Even Jews are divided over the definition of anti-semitism and the adoption of the IHRA code www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/27/antisemitism-ihra-definition-jewish-writers

Fennel, the party was not a very divided party untill Corbyn became leader

Fennel, Jews have never had to keep a low profile since the war , only in the last three years have they become targets for racists

What / who could have drawn the communist party to the Labour Party ?

Why did the communist party attend the Momentum conference last year , held a few hundred yards from the Labour Party conference, and why did Corbyn have the need to address the momentum conference?

Annie - to some extent I share your disappointment with Corbyn. He took over a very divided party and I hoped he could unify the various factions. An impossible task for anyone, the previous leaders couldn't do it.
But what upsets me most about this antsemitism issue is that eventually it is going to be turned against the Jews. We've managed to survive here quite happily since WW2 by keeping a low profile and conforming as far as possible to British norms. Keeping out of trouble with the law. Jews are eternally grateful to Britain for giving a tolerant refuge.
But this political highlighting isn't helpful.

Ah the old "You are a communist" defence. I am not, nor have I ever been a member of the communist party . Still no LP policies you DO support Annie same old far left accusations.

trisher, the communist party chose to join the Labour Party, they have become left of centre ? Corbyn holds Venezuela as Utopia. I respect the fact that you have positive views on communism, I do not. Perhaps you should stop denying Corbyn is of the far left.

Annie I have said upthread that I support your right to disagree with the LP leadership! I think though that you are wrong not to entertain the idea of rt wing infiltration to destabilise the LP . Sadly you are correct the world is moving right at an alarming speed.. Look at Bannon now influencing our UK right wingers.. so chances of a Left wing UK government is small because people have been frightened off by scaremongering and are seeing right of centre as normal.

Perhaps if you stopped referring to this as a "far left" party Annie, and accepted that it is simply redressing the awful and catastrophic decisions made by those who were to the far right of the party, and introducing policies which the majority of people agree with, such as taking back control of the railways, building more social housing and providing support for the poorest, the party would stand much more chance of election. Instead you constantly undermine the party you say you believe in. It isn't far left unless of course you actually believe in Conservative policies position from which it may seem to be. I have yet to see you post one party policy you actually support.

I did not say the Board of Deputies of British Jews were above criticism PECS. I do say accusing any criticism of Corbyn comes from the far right is not true . I am constantly told here I am a Tory supporter, even accused of lying when I say I have been a party member for over fifty years, I have stayed loyal to the party, this does not mean I must have any loyalty to Corbyn.

PECS, the young members were not involved with politics in 1983 when we had the disastrous election. I say this even though Michael Foot was a family friend. Too much faith is put in young party members, no thought that it is the voter in every constituency who will bring in the next government . I really do not believe the country will vote for a far left government .

Annie I have never implied that but the BDBJ is a conservative (small c) organisation and it is strongly (understandably) supportive of Israel so may find JCs outspoken support for Palestine worrying. But they are humans and not above criticism any more than the Synod, Vatican or British Council of Muslims are.

A lot of what is going on is also the centrist Labour Blairites fighting for power against the newer Labour membership that have found a party that now represents their views under JC leadership and who felt disenfranchised under the Blairites. I live in a strongly Tory area and our CLP has tripled with young members since JC ..mostly young professional people who identify with the more socialist policies expounded by current Labour. They are not members of momentum....

I do not believe the Board of Deputies of British Jews are part of some far right plot .

I agree Corbyn should speak out, he behaves as if he is in semi retirement . I wonder if he fears an early election , if labour won he would have to deal with Brexit .

Kate Hoey and Frank Field are two of the most respected MPs in Parliament, respected by people on all sides.
I understand, but cannot verify, that 42 members of Kate Hoey's local constituency voted to deselect her. She has a majority of 20,250 plus. Electoral madness.

'It accepted MPs could defy the whip and vote with their conscience, but said this “cannot extend to collaborating with the ERG and DUP” in the Commons, and “propping up a failing government” by supporting it on the customs union. It also criticised Hoey for her views on hunting, as well as issues such as grammar schools.'

This is what terrifies people of all parties about the prospect of a Labour Party under Corbyn's leadership; its attack on free speech and personal conscience. It reminds me of Tariq Ali's comment, many years ago, that 'I believe in freedom of speech but there has to be a limit.'

Corbyn lacks the personal authority to deal with troublesome members, such as Margaret Hodge, a woman I have little respect for, and Ian Austin, a man that I do, instead relying on the strong arm tactics of his henchmen. Replace him with a man of integrity such as Keir Starmer , and disable Momentum, not an easy task; Labour would regain the confidence of the country.
And I am not a Labour supporter.

And again.. focus on the infighting ..doing the Tories and extreme right job for them!

I believe that extreme right (& Tory party) are concerned at the significant growth of Labour membership under JCs leadership and so are hell bent on undermining him personally.

It is not difficult, particularly with social media, to spread allegations/ rumours and to stoke up normal internal issues so they are blown up, disproportionately, to headline size to destabilise the leadership and discredit JC.

I am disappointed that JC has not been stronger/ louder at calling this out. He should have been clear from the start that the LP supports the right of Palestinians to self determination, condemned the current Israeli government's policies, supported of the UN recommendations for Palestine and been clear that none of that equates to anti-Semitism which the party does not/will not tolerate.

So they should vote against their own beliefs , Corbyn never has and is praised for it.

Why isn’t he joining with the Libs and calling for a public vote before we are out? He says the same as May - the public voted out.

They may not have chosen on that basis Annie but that was the result (and arguably most MPs have teams of researchers who would have anticipated the close result). They have kept this government in power.

Trisher, I do not believe Frank Field or Kate Howey chose to vote to keep this government in power, they voted solely by their beliefs.

You defended Corbyn for refusing to campaign during the referendum debates, if he had I am sure remain would have won, he has always wanted out, you never criticise him for this.

You don't like Momentum Annie I didn't like Blair. All this business of condemning constituency paries is just another attempt to undermine Corbyn. Do you really think that it is acceptable that 4 Labour MPs enabled this government to stay in power, when if they had voted against them there might well have been a General election?

Difference - Corbyn never had the likes of Momentum controlling his constituency party. Now they are in many constituency parties they can do the dirty work leaving Corbyn to look the caring leader.

That's a very good question PECS and the perception that the Palestinians are being ignored and that it is impossible for them to obtain justice can sometimes be the beginning of anti-semitism. If the Palestinian question was dealt with, human rights were restored to them and Israel was compelled to comply with all the UN rulings the basis for such opinions would be wiped out immediately

Field's constituency party has complained about him and has voted "no confidence" in him because of his Brexit vote and the fact that if he and the other 3 Labour MPs who voted with the government had not done so the government would have been defeated. Corbyn has always had the support of his constituency party.

Why do so many here dimiss the Palestinian issue so lightly? My posts about abuses of Palestinians have been largely ignored and sidelined including by comparing to the greater plight of Jews in the Holocaust era as though that makes it ok, & effectively shuts down debate.