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Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) is an organisation formed in 2017 for
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
members of the
UK Labour Party The Labour Party is a political party in the United Kingdom that has been described as an alliance of social democrats, democratic socialists and trade unionists. The Labour Party sits on the centre-left of the political spectrum. In all gene ...
. Its aims include a commitment "to strengthen the party in its opposition to all forms of racism, including anti-Semitism... to uphold the right of supporters of justice for Palestinians to engage in solidarity activities" and "to oppose attempts to widen the definition of antisemitism beyond its meaning of hostility towards, or discrimination against, Jews as Jews".


Launch

JVL was inaugurated in July 2017, and
Jenny Manson Jenny Rachel Manson (''née'' Salaman; born November 1948) is a British Jewish activist, author, former civil servant, former Labour Party councillor for Colindale on Barnet London Borough Council, and Co-Chair of Jewish Voice for Labour. Ear ...
, an activist in Jews for Justice for Palestinians and former Labour councillor, was elected chair. The organisation was officially launched on 24 September, on the second day of the
Labour Party Conference The Labour Party Conference is the annual conference of the British Labour Party. It is formally the supreme decision-making body of the party and is traditionally held in the final week of September, during the party conference season when the ...
in
Brighton Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze A ...
, with over 300 people in attendance, according to JVL. The launch featured historian and
Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
professor of international relations Professor
Avi Shlaim Avraham "Avi" Shlaim (born 31 October 1945) is an Israeli-British historian, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and fellow of the British Academy. He is one of Israel's New Historians, a group of Israeli ...
, former
Court of Appeal A court of appeals, also called a court of appeal, appellate court, appeal court, court of second instance or second instance court, is any court of law that is empowered to hear an appeal of a trial court or other lower tribunal. In much of t ...
judge Sir Stephen Sedley, and the
Jewish Socialist Group The Jewish Socialists' Group (JSG) is a Jewish socialist collective in Britain, formed in the 1970s. History JSG was founded in Manchester/Liverpool in 1974-1977 as a lobby group campaigning against the fascist National Front and for the left ...
's David Rosenberg.


Purposes

JVL describes itself as a "network for Jewish members of the Labour Party" which "stand for rights and justice for Jewish people everywhere and against wrongs and injustice to Palestinians and other oppressed people anywhere". The organisation's founding statement advocated "making the Labour Party an open, democratic and inclusive party, encouraging all ethnic groups and cultures to join and participate freely" and to support a commitment "to strengthen the party in its opposition to all forms of racism, including antisemitism". Its aims were set out in a statement of principles, which include a commitment "to strengthen the party in its opposition to all forms of racism, including antisemitism, to uphold the right of supporters of justice for Palestinians to engage in solidarity activities" and "to oppose attempts to widen the definition of antisemitism beyond its meaning of hostility towards, or discrimination against, Jews as Jews". Although JVL has been described as "
anti-Zionist Anti-Zionism is opposition to Zionism. Although anti-Zionism is a heterogeneous phenomenon, all its proponents agree that the creation of the modern State of Israel, and the movement to create a sovereign Jewish state in the region of Palestine ...
", Manson has said the organisation is "not anti-Zionist" and stated that it was "an alternative voice for Jewish members of Labour" who do not support the
Jewish Labour Movement {{Infobox organization , name = Jewish Labour Movement , pronounce = , nickname = , named_after = , logo = JewishLabourMovementLogo.png , image_border = , size ...
's (JLM) "profoundly
Zionist Zionism ( he, צִיּוֹנוּת ''Tsiyyonut'' after ''Zion'') is a nationalist movement that espouses the establishment of, and support for a homeland for the Jewish people centered in the area roughly corresponding to what is known in Je ...
orientation". JVL's information officer
Jonathan Rosenhead Jonathan Vivian Rosenhead (born 21 September 1938) is a British mathematician, operational researcher and Labour Party activist.
shares the latter opinion. The organisation's Secretary, Glyn Secker, wrote that JVL has "established a very different, authentic, radical, and socialist Jewish narrative to that promulgated by the Jewish Labour Movement and
Labour Friends of Israel Labour Friends of Israel (LFI) is a group in the Parliament of the United Kingdom that promotes support for a strong bilateral relationship between Britain and Israel, and seeks to strengthen ties between the British Labour Party and the Isra ...
". JVL's media officer Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi wrote that one of JVL's roles "is to clarify the distinction between Jew, Israeli and Zionist so that people are less likely to fall into antisemitic generalisation when talking about Israel's role in Palestine", to offer "an alternative to the JLM's pro-Israel agenda" and that the JLM does not have "the right to speak as the Jewish Labour Movement on behalf of all Jews in the Labour party". Co-Chairs Jenny Manson and Leah Levane "contend that the JLM cannot represent all Jewish members of the Labour Party when it is committed 'to promote the centrality of Israel in Jewish life' as well as the wider Jerusalem Programme of the
World Zionist Organization The World Zionist Organization ( he, הַהִסְתַּדְּרוּת הַצִּיּוֹנִית הָעוֹלָמִית; ''HaHistadrut HaTzionit Ha'Olamit''), or WZO, is a non-governmental organization that promotes Zionism. It was founded as the ...
". The organisation's motto is "Always with the oppressed; never with the oppressor" which paraphrases a quote by
Marek Edelman Marek Edelman ( yi, מאַרעק עדעלמאַן, born either 1919 in Homel or 1922 in Warsaw – October 2, 2009 in Warsaw, Poland) was a Polish political and social activist and cardiologist. Edelman was the last surviving leader of the ...
, the last surviving commander of the
Warsaw Uprising The Warsaw Uprising ( pl, powstanie warszawskie; german: Warschauer Aufstand) was a major World War II operation by the Polish resistance movement in World War II, Polish underground resistance to liberate Warsaw from German occupation. It occ ...
.


Membership

JVL only admits full membership to Labour Party members who identify as Jewish. In August 2019, JVL said that it had full members in a quarter of constituency Labour parties. All other members are associate members without voting rights, as the constitution specifies that the organisation is led by Jewish people and only they can vote on its policies. JVL does not make promoting the centrality of
Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...
to
Jewish Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
life a condition of membership" which is a requirement for membership of the JLM. Committee member
Ian Saville Ian Saville (born 30 April 1953) is a British magician whose act incorporates ventriloquism and comedy. His performance is distinctive primarily for the fact that it is geared towards a comic form of socialist propaganda. He says of his act, " ...
has clarified that "There is no ideological test to join" and it is "a group for Jews in the Labour Party that would welcome all Jews, whatever their attitude to Israel".


Affiliations

Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi has said the organisation's "longer term aim" could be to affiliate to Labour. Several
constituency Labour parties __NOTOC__ A constituency Labour Party (CLP) is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party (UK), Labour Party who live in a particular parliamentary constituency. In England and Wales, CLP boundaries coincide with those for UK parliam ...
have affiliated to JVL. The organisation has been endorsed by leaders of Labour-affiliated trade unions, namely
Len McCluskey Leonard David McCluskey (born 23 July 1950) is a British trade unionist. He was General Secretary of Unite the Union, the largest affiliate and a major donor to the Labour Party. As a young adult, he spent some years working in the Liverpool D ...
, General Secretary of
Unite the Union Unite the Union, commonly known as Unite, is a British and Irish trade union which was formed on 1 May 2007 by the merger of Amicus and the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU). Unite is the second largest trade union in the UK (after ...
; and Tosh McDonald, president of
ASLEF The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) is a British trade union representing train drivers. It is part of the International Transport Workers' Federation and the European Transport Workers' Federation. At the end of ...
. JVL is affiliated to both the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy (CLPD) and the Centre-Left Grassroots Alliance (CLGA). The organisation has additionally formed a coalition with ''Red Labour'' and the Labour Representation Committee, both of which are also members of the CLGA. In December 2017, ''
The Times of Israel ''The Times of Israel'' is an Israeli multi-language online newspaper that was launched in 2012. It was co-founded by Israeli journalist David Horovitz, who is also the founding editor, and American billionaire investor Seth Klarman.
'' wrote that JVL was closely linked to Free Speech on Israel (FSOI), which was founded in 2016 to "counter the manufactured moral panic over a supposed epidemic of anti-Semitism in the UK". FSOI opposes Zionism and the notion that anti-Zionism is antisemitism. Wimborne-Idrissi said JVL and FSOI are "two separate organizations with different aims and objectives". Founder of JVL, Wimborne-Idrissi, a member of the
National Executive Committee of the Labour Party The National Executive Committee (NEC) is the governing body of the UK Labour Party, setting the overall strategic direction of the party and policy development. Its composition has changed over the years, and includes representatives of affilia ...
, was excluded from the Labour party in December 2022.


Assessment

Len McCluskey Leonard David McCluskey (born 23 July 1950) is a British trade unionist. He was General Secretary of Unite the Union, the largest affiliate and a major donor to the Labour Party. As a young adult, he spent some years working in the Liverpool D ...
called the formation of JVL a "positive move forward". David Rosenberg, author and founding member of the
Jewish Socialists' Group The Jewish Socialists' Group (JSG) is a Jewish socialist collective in Britain, formed in the 1970s. History JSG was founded in Manchester/Liverpool in 1974-1977 as a lobby group campaigning against the fascist National Front and for the left ...
, described JVL as "a broader, more inclusive, more open-minded group — not fixated on defending Israel...". Labour Party leader,
Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialist ...
has said JVL are "committed to fighting anti-Semitism and making sure there is a Jewish voice in the party. We already have the Jewish Labour Movement. JVL was established last year and I think it is good that we have organisations within the party that are giving that voice to people." Writer
Richard Seymour Richard Vershaun Seymour (born October 6, 1979) is an American professional poker player and former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL) . He played college football for the Georgia ...
described the organisation as "rooted in radical and revolutionary internationalism". Stephen Sedley stated that "...pro-Israeli groups such as the Jewish Labour Movement reseeking to drive out pro-Palestinian groups like the Jewish Voice for Labour by stigmatising them..." The organisation has been described as controversial. The
Jewish Labour Movement {{Infobox organization , name = Jewish Labour Movement , pronounce = , nickname = , named_after = , logo = JewishLabourMovementLogo.png , image_border = , size ...
has called its views an "extreme fringe".
Jewish Leadership Council The Jewish Leadership Council (previously known as the Jewish Community Leadership Council) is an organisation in the United Kingdom, founded in 2003, whose declared aim is to forward the interests of the organised Jewish community in Britain. ...
chairman Jonathan Goldstein has said that JVL is "not representative of our community".
Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after only the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established ...
President
Marie van der Zyl Marie Sarah van der Zyl (née Kaye; born November 1965) is the 48th president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. When she was elected in May 2018, she was only the second female president in the 258-year history of the organisation. She ...
has referred to JVL as "a tiny organisation whose odious views are representative of no-one but themselves".
Jon Lansman Jonathan Lansman (born 9 July 1957) is a British political activist. He is best known for having worked on Jeremy Corbyn's successful 2015 campaign for the leadership of the Labour Party and subsequently founded the pro-Corbyn organisation Mo ...
, founder of
Momentum In Newtonian mechanics, momentum (more specifically linear momentum or translational momentum) is the product of the mass and velocity of an object. It is a vector quantity, possessing a magnitude and a direction. If is an object's mass an ...
, stated that JVL "is an organisation which is not just tiny but has no real connection with the Jewish community at all" and "It doesn't represent the Jewish community in a way that JLM clearly does represent the Labour wing of the Jewish community." Luke Akehust, director of We Believe in Israel and secretary of
Labour First Labour First is a British political organisation associated with the Labour Party. It was originally founded in 1980 but refounded in 1988. Born out of the political right wing of the Labour Party's struggles with its left wing, it sees itself as ...
, has called for JVL to be proscribed.


History

JVL has defended former
Mayor of London The mayor of London is the chief executive of the Greater London Authority. The role was created in 2000 after the 1998 Greater London Authority referendum, Greater London devolution referendum in 1998, and was the first Directly elected may ...
Ken Livingstone Kenneth Robert Livingstone (born 17 June 1945) is an English politician who served as the Leader of the Greater London Council (GLC) from 1981 until the council was abolished in 1986, and as Mayor of London from the creation of the office i ...
, supported Jackie Walker as being a victim of a "vituperative campaign... based on this sliver of quasi-fact", deemed accusations of antisemitism against
Moshé Machover Moshé Machover ( he, משה מחובר; born 1936) is a mathematician, philosopher, and socialist activist, noted for his writings against Zionism. Born to a Jewish family in Tel Aviv, then part of the British Mandate of Palestine, Machover move ...
as "ill founded", opposed and condemned the expulsion of
Marc Wadsworth Marc Wadsworth is a British black rights campaigner, broadcast and print journalist and BBC filmmaker. He founded the Anti-Racist Alliance in 1991 and helped set up the justice campaign for murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence two years ...
as being "punished in advance of investigation and hearing of the case", welcomed the lifting of Derby North MP Chris Williamson's suspension and called the
National Executive Committee National Executive Committee is the name of a leadership body in several organizations, mostly political parties: * National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, in South Africa * Australian Labor Party National Executive * Nationa ...
's ruling not to endorse him as a Labour candidate for the 2019 general election a "dangerous development for everyone who stands for justice for Palestinians and for democracy and freedom of expression in Britain, including within Labour."


2017

At the 2017 Labour Conference, JVL supported Hastings and Rye
Constituency Labour Party __NOTOC__ A constituency Labour Party (CLP) is an organisation of members of the British Labour Party who live in a particular parliamentary constituency. In England and Wales, CLP boundaries coincide with those for UK parliamentary constituenc ...
's proposal to change the
Labour Party Rule Book Labour or labor may refer to: * Childbirth, the delivery of a baby * Labour (human activity), or work ** Manual labour, physical work ** Wage labour, a socioeconomic relationship between a worker and an employer ** Organized labour and the labour ...
to add a clause which makes it clear that antisemitism will not be tolerated, whilst clarifying that "hatred of Jews shall not be evidenced by non-abusive words or actions regarding Israel or zionism that are part of legitimate political discourse." The organisation opposed the
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) (until January 2013 known as the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research or ITF) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1998 which ...
's working definition of antisemitism being formally adopted by the Labour Party for disciplinary purposes at the 2017 Conference, which it sees as "attempts to widen the definition of antisemitism beyond its meaning of hostility towards, or discrimination against, Jews as Jews". JVL sees the rule change, supported by
Jeremy Corbyn Jeremy Bernard Corbyn (; born 26 May 1949) is a British politician who served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party from 2015 to 2020. On the political left of the Labour Party, Corbyn describes himself as a socialist ...
, as an "anti-democratic restriction on political debate".


2018

JVL has challenged "unjustified allegations of antisemitism" which are "used to undermine Jeremy Corbyn's
leadership Leadership, both as a research area and as a practical skill, encompasses the ability of an individual, group or organization to "lead", influence or guide other individuals, teams, or entire organizations. The word "leadership" often gets view ...
". In March 2018, JVL organised a smaller counter-demonstration, attended by around 30 people, according to ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'', at a protest against antisemitism in the Labour Party, held in
Parliament Square Parliament Square is a square at the northwest end of the Palace of Westminster in the City of Westminster in central London. Laid out in the 19th century, it features a large open green area in the centre with trees to its west, and it contai ...
, London. In a statement, JVL said it was "appalled" by the
Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after only the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established ...
' letter and that "They do not represent us or the great majority of Jews in the party who share Jeremy Corbyn's vision for social justice and fairness. Jeremy's consistent commitment to
anti-racism Anti-racism encompasses a range of ideas and political actions which are meant to counter racial prejudice, systemic racism, and the oppression of specific racial groups. Anti-racism is usually structured around conscious efforts and deliberate a ...
is all the more needed now." Chair of JVL, Jenny Manson defended Corbyn on
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
's ''
Daily Politics ''Daily Politics'' was a BBC Television programme which aired between 6 January, 2003 and 24 July, 2018, presented by Andrew Neil and Jo Coburn. ''Daily Politics'' took an in-depth review of the daily events in both Westminster and other areas ...
'', saying Corbyn had taken "enormously strong action" to deal with the issue of anti-semitism in the Labour Party. In April, Manson appeared on
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
's ''
Today programme ''Today'', colloquially known as ''the Today programme'', is a long-running British morning news and current-affairs Radio program, radio programme on BBC Radio 4. Broadcast on Monday to Saturday from 6:00 am to 9:00 am, it is produced by BBC N ...
'', and, referring to a survey conducted by the
Campaign Against Antisemitism Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) is a British non-governmental organisation established in August 2014 by members of the Anglo-Jewish community. It publishes research, organises rallies and petitions, and conducts litigation. History CAA wa ...
, said: "Evidence, including very recent evidence, commissioned by a Jewish body suggests the very worst antisemitism is still on the
right Rights are law, legal, social, or ethics, ethical principles of Liberty, freedom or entitlement; that is, rights are the fundamental normative rules about what is allowed of people or owed to people according to some legal system, social convent ...
, on the
far right Far-right politics, also referred to as the extreme right or right-wing extremism, are political beliefs and actions further to the right of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political right, particularly in terms of being ...
and always has been". In the same month, JVL issued a statement saying they "strongly condemn the
Israeli army The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; he, צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל , ), alternatively referred to by the Hebrew-language acronym (), is the national military of the State of Israel. It consists of three service branc ...
's violent response to the Land Day demonstration in Gaza, killing 15 Palestinian civilians and wounding hundreds more" and called "for an unconditional end to Israel's inhuman
siege of Gaza The siege of Gaza took place in 332 BC, and was part of the Egyptian campaign of Alexander the Great, the ancient Greek king of Macedonia. It ended the Thirty-first Dynasty of Egypt, which functioned as a satrapy of the Achaemenid Persian ...
and its brutal occupation of the West Bank which has destroyed the lives of generations of Palestinians." In May, JVL with members of Free Speech on Israel produced a definition of antisemitism as:
Antisemitism is a form of racism: hatred, hostility, discrimination or prejudice against Jews because they are Jews. It may be manifested in violence; denial of rights; direct, indirect or institutional discrimination; prejudice-based behaviour; or verbal or written statements. Such manifestations draw on stereotypes – characteristics which all Jews are presumed to share.
The Labour Party's code of conduct definition of antisemitism was adopted by the
National Executive Committee National Executive Committee is the name of a leadership body in several organizations, mostly political parties: * National Executive Committee of the African National Congress, in South Africa * Australian Labor Party National Executive * Nationa ...
(NEC) for the purposes of disciplinary cases brought before the National Constitutional Committee. In July, JVL said that Labour's code of conduct "offers a constructive framework for moving forward in this difficult area" and it encouraged "free speech on issues to do with Israel and its treatment of the Palestinians, and with Zionism" but "much will depend on how this code of conduct is applied in practice, particularly in disciplinary cases. We are cautiously optimistic." In the same month, the organisation was one of 41 Jewish organisations in 15 countries, including six in the UK, to criticise the IHRA definition of anti-semitism. In August, the organisation called for support of Labour's existing code of conduct and for the NEC to resist adopting the IHRA examples of antisemitism as it fell short of providing "a clear and unambiguous statement based on attitudes to Jews as Jews, not attitudes to a country, Israel". In the same month, JVL asked its members for help in delivering an "expanded programme" of antisemitism training to party members in response to what it called a "growing number of requests". In August, JVL complained to BBC Director-General Tony Hall and the BBC's news and current affairs director Francesca Unsworth about the broadcaster's "lack of impartiality and inaccuracies" and "biased" coverage of Labour MP
Margaret Hodge Dame Margaret Eve Hodge, Lady Hodge, (née Oppenheimer, formerly Watson; born 8 September 1944) is a British politician serving as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Barking since 1994. A member of the Labour Party, she previously served as ...
's allegations of antisemitism against Jeremy Corbyn. In September, JVL and Free Speech on Israel published a joint declaration on antisemitic misconduct. JVL contributed to the consultation on Labour's code of conduct by rejecting suggestions that comparisons between Israel and "features of pre-war
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...
" or
apartheid Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
-era South Africa were "inherently antisemitic", arguing that "Drawing such parallels can undoubtedly cause offence; but potent historical events and experiences are always key reference points in political debate. Such comparisons are only anti-Semitic if they show prejudice, hostility or hatred against Jews as Jews." The JVL's guidelines on antisemitism included the view that "Jews, Israelis and Zionists are separate categories that are too frequently conflated by both supporters and critics of Israel. This conflation can be anti-Semitic. Holding all Jews responsible for the actions of the Israeli government is anti-Semitic. Many Jews are not Zionist." The organisation also suggested that "discussion and education, rather than a formal disciplinary approach" could be more appropriate in some cases of antisemitism. In September, at the
Labour Party Conference The Labour Party Conference is the annual conference of the British Labour Party. It is formally the supreme decision-making body of the party and is traditionally held in the final week of September, during the party conference season when the ...
, JVL hosted two events: "Israel/Palestine: Antisemitism" and "Fighting The Far Right". JVL also organised and hosted the premiere of the documentary film ''The Political Lynching of Jackie Walker'', from which 200 people were evacuated after a bomb threat. In a statement, the organisation said the film "is an incisive and chilling exposé of attempts to silence critics of Israel, in particular those who support the socialist project of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. It connects the global struggle against racism and the far right with the
Palestinian cause Palestinian nationalism is the national movement of the Palestinian people that espouses self-determination and sovereignty over the region of Palestine.de Waart, 1994p. 223 Referencing Article 9 of ''The Palestinian National Charter of 1968' ...
."


2019

In February 2019, over 200 Jewish members and supporters of Labour signed a JVL open letter calling the party under Corbyn an "a crucial ally in the fight against bigotry and reaction" and noted Corbyn's consistent campaigning in support of "initiatives against antisemitism". They also welcomed Labour's support for "freedom of expression on Israel and on the rights of Palestinians". They felt that there was a "disproportionate focus on antisemitism on the left, which is abhorrent but relatively rare." The signatories included Prof David Epstein,
Mike Leigh Mike Leigh (born 20 February 1943) is an English film and theatre director, screenwriter and playwright. He studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and further at the Camberwell School of Art, the Central School of Art and Design ...
, Prof
Michael Rosen Michael Wayne Rosen (born 7 May 1946) is a British children's author, poet, presenter, political columnist, broadcaster and activist who has written 140 books. He served as Children's Laureate from 2007 to 2009. Early life Michael Wayne Ro ...
, Prof
Avi Shlaim Avraham "Avi" Shlaim (born 31 October 1945) is an Israeli-British historian, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and fellow of the British Academy. He is one of Israel's New Historians, a group of Israeli ...
,
Gillian Slovo Gillian Slovo (born 15 March 1952) is a South African-born writer who lives in the UK. She was a recipient of the Golden PEN Award. Early life and education Gillian Slovo was born on 15 March 1952 in Johannesburg, South Africa. Her family moved ...
, Prof Annabelle Sreberny,
Walter Wolfgang Walter Jakob Wolfgang (23 June 1923 – 28 May 2019) was a German-born British socialist and peace activist. Up to the time of his death, he was Vice-President of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Vice Chair oLabour CND a caucus of CND m ...
,
Peter Buckman Peter Buckman is an English writer and literary agent. He has been involved in the publishing industry for many years; he was on the editorial board of Penguin Books, and a commissioning editor for the New American Library in New York City. He ...
,
Erica Burman Erica Burman (born 1960) is a critical development psychologist based in the United Kingdom. While little known in the developmental psychology research community, her work has been a conceptual resource for critiques of the field, notably femini ...
,
Keith Burstein Keith Burstein born 1957 as Keith Burston (the anglicised form adopted by his father of the surname, which Burstein later dropped) is an English composer, conductor and music theorist with Russian family origins. He is noted for his fervent cha ...
,
Miriam David Miriam E. David FRSA FAcSS (born 9 August 1945) is a British educator. She is Professor of Education at the Institute of Education, University of London and Associate Director of the Teaching and Learning Research Programme. Education and care ...
,
Michael Ellman Michael John Ellman (born 27 July 1942, Ripley, Surrey) has been a professor of economics at the University of Amsterdam since 1978. He is now an ''emeritus professor''. He has written on the economics of the Soviet Union, transition economics, ...
, Nick Foster, Susan Himmelweit,
Selma James Selma James (born Selma Deitch; formerly Weinstein; August 15, 1930) is an American writer, and feminist and social activist who is co-author of the women's movement book ''The Power of Women and the Subversion of the Community'' (with Mariarosa ...
, Ann Jungman,
Frank Land Fred Frank Land (born Frank Landsberger; October 1928) is a German-born information systems researcher and was the first United Kingdom Professor of Information Systems. He is currently emeritus professor in the Department of Information Syst ...
, Gillian McCall,
Helen Pearson Helen Pearson (born 16 November 1959) is a British actress who has been in three major soap operas, '' EastEnders'' (during 1990 as April McIntosh), ''Emmerdale'' (from 2000 to 2001 as Carol Wareing), and as Frankie Osborne in ''Hollyoaks'' fr ...
and
Ian Saville Ian Saville (born 30 April 1953) is a British magician whose act incorporates ventriloquism and comedy. His performance is distinctive primarily for the fact that it is geared towards a comic form of socialist propaganda. He says of his act, " ...
. In July, JVL criticised BBC ''
Panorama A panorama (formed from Greek πᾶν "all" + ὅραμα "view") is any wide-angle view or representation of a physical space, whether in painting, drawing, photography, film, seismic images, or 3D modeling. The word was originally coined in ...
'' documentary ''Is Labour Anti-Semitic?''. In a statement, the organisation said: "It is shameful that the BBC has joined in an orchestrated campaign whose principal aim is quite clearly to prevent Jeremy Corbyn becoming
prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
of a Labour government committed to socialism." In August, JVL welcomed the investigation by the
Equality and Human Rights Commission The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is a non-departmental public body in Great Britain, established by the Equality Act 2006 with effect from 1 October 2007. The Commission has responsibility for the promotion and enforcement of eq ...
(EHRC) into the handling of antisemitism by the Labour Party. The organisation submitted a dossier in response to the EHRC's request for evidence. JVL held that, by failing to make public the initial complaints they received justifying the investigation and Labour's initial response to the EHRC, the EHRC have violated the
Equality Act 2006 The Equality Act 2006 (c 3) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom covering the United Kingdom. The 2006 Act is a precursor to the Equality Act 2010, which combines all of the equality enactments within Great Britain and provide comp ...
which requires that they specify who is being investigated and "the nature of the unlawful act" they are suspected of committing, both required by its own terms of reference. Signatories to JVL's letter included Oxford University professor
Avi Shlaim Avraham "Avi" Shlaim (born 31 October 1945) is an Israeli-British historian, Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and fellow of the British Academy. He is one of Israel's New Historians, a group of Israeli ...
and human rights lawyer Sir
Geoffrey Bindman Sir Geoffrey Lionel Bindman KC (Hon) (born 3 January 1933) is a British solicitor specialising in human rights law, and founder of the human rights law firm Bindman & Partners. He has been Chair of the British Institute of Human Rights sinc ...
QC. In the same month, JVL stated that "pressure was put on organisers" of the
Greenbelt Festival Greenbelt Festival is a festival of arts, faith and justice held annually in England since 1974. Greenbelt has grown out of an evangelical Christian music festival with an audience of 1,500 young people into its current form, a more inclusive f ...
which withdrew an invitation to one of its co-chairs, Leah Levane, to sit on a panel. The Festival said that it "must make it clear that Leah was not coming as a representative or spokesperson for the Jewish community in the UK". Similar venue denying campaigns have been mounted against Jackie Walker, Chris Williamson and
Labour Against the Witchhunt Labour Against the Witchhunt (LAW) is a group formed in late 2017 to campaign against what it regards as politically motivated allegations of antisemitism in the UK Labour Party, which it calls a “witchhunt”. It also campaigns against what i ...
. In September, at the
Labour Party Conference The Labour Party Conference is the annual conference of the British Labour Party. It is formally the supreme decision-making body of the party and is traditionally held in the final week of September, during the party conference season when the ...
, JVL organised a "Let's Talk About Palestine" fringe event attended by 200 people at the Mercure Hotel featuring JVL's political officer Graham Bash, Israeli historian Professor
Ilan Pappé Ilan Pappé ( he, אילן פפה, ; born 1954) is an expatriate Israeli historian and socialist activist. He is a professor with the College of Social Sciences and International Studies at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom, direc ...
and former Palestinian
Knesset The Knesset ( he, הַכְּנֶסֶת ; "gathering" or "assembly") is the unicameral legislature of Israel. As the supreme state body, the Knesset is sovereign and thus has complete control of the entirety of the Israeli government (with ...
member
Haneen Zoabi Haneen Zoabi ( ar, حنين زعبي, he, חנין זועבי; born 23 May 1969), is a Palestinian-Israeli politician. The first Arab woman to be elected to the legislature on an Arab party's list, she served as a member of the Knesset for t ...
. In October, JVL commended the definition of antisemitism issued by the
Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after only the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established ...
and the
Community Security Trust The Community Security Trust (CST) is a British charity whose purpose is to provide safety, security, and advice to the Jewish community in the UK. It provides advice, training, representation and research. Founding and mission The Community Sec ...
which is that "an antisemitic incident is any malicious act aimed at Jewish people, organisations or property, where there is evidence that the incident has antisemitic motivation or content, or that the victim was targeted because they are (or are believed to be) Jewish." In December, in a letter to BBC director-general Tony Hall and director of news and current affairs Fran Unsworth, JVL said: "In the closing stages of an acrimonious election campaign, the BBC’s coverage of anti-semitism charges against the Labour Party has been both unbalanced and uncritical."


2020

In January, in a public letter to the Labour Party leadership candidates, JVL expressed concerns over the impact of the
Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after only the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established ...
's 10-point pledge "to tackle the anti-semitism crisis" on Labour's independence and ability to show solidarity with Palestine. JVL expressed fears that the pledges will silence any criticism of Israel and reverse steps made under Jeremy Corbyn's leadership towards a progressive foreign policy. In February, the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BOD) was accused of defending the occupation of Palestine after it condemned the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
for listing companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements. JVL also criticised the BOD, arguing that it "will do anything it possibly can to divert attention from the reality of the occupation." In February, JVL accused
Campaign Against Antisemitism Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) is a British non-governmental organisation established in August 2014 by members of the Anglo-Jewish community. It publishes research, organises rallies and petitions, and conducts litigation. History CAA wa ...
(CAA) of disproportionately targeting Labour over other political parties. In April, in a joint statement with the Labour Representation Committee and ''Red Labour'', JVL said that
Keir Starmer Sir Keir Rodney Starmer (; born 2 September 1962) is a British politician and barrister who has served as Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Labour Party since 2020. He has been Member of Parliament (MP) for Holborn and St Pancras ...
being elected Labour leader is "a worrying outcome" for those inspired by Corbyn's vision as there are indications that Starmer's intention is "to marginalise, if not drive out, the left". Two days later, JVL said it hopes Starmer will "extend the same courtesy to Jews like us: active party members who take a different political view". The following week, JVL released a joint statement with ''Red Labour'' and the Labour Representation Committee based on the message of a unified grassroots coalition called 'Don't Leave, Organise'. The initiative was supported by the
Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union The Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU) is a trade union in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1847 in Manchester, it represents workers in the food industry. History The union dates its origin to 1847. The Manchester Friendly Association ...
, former Labour MP
Laura Pidcock Laura Pidcock (born 19 August 1987) is a British former Labour Party politician who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for North West Durham from 2017 until 2019, when she lost her seat in what was the worst defeat for the Labour Party sin ...
and retired Aslef president Tosh McDonald among others. Their statement urged socialists to remain in the Labour Party, "contribute to the efforts to re-unite the left, and be part of a renewed focus for mobilising to demand the society we need for the many". and that "...any genuine coalition of the left should include both traditional established organisations and emerging new groupings." In May, JVL provided an analysis of more than 150 claims that Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) included in a submission to the
Equality and Human Rights Commission The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is a non-departmental public body in Great Britain, established by the Equality Act 2006 with effect from 1 October 2007. The Commission has responsibility for the promotion and enforcement of eq ...
(EHRC) in December in response to EHRC's investigation into institutional antisemitism in the Labour Party. JVL said that the JLM's claims are based on "prejudiced gossip, distortion, double standards and presumed guilt without investigation" and that evidence sent by the JLM to the EHRC is "largely worthless" as it "misstates facts and draws false conclusions". The executive summary of the analysis stated that many of the claims are "simply rumour and gossip, or unsubstantiated allegations". JVL also pointed to the Labour Party's Governance and Legal Unit report leaked in April, saying that its content "further undermines" allegations that Corbyn's team were negligent in efforts to handle allegations of antisemitism within the party and that "procedural failings ereunjustifiably attributed to anti-semitic bias". In July, JVL supported protests against Israel's plans to illegally annexe land in
West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
. In the same month, the Labour Party promised to pay around £500,000 in damages from subscription payments of Labour party members to former senior staffers who claimed defamation following a BBC ''Panorama'' investigation into allegations of anti-semitism within Labour. JVL said the Labour Party's decision to make the payments despite receiving legal advice that it would win the case was "deeply disappointing". In August, in response to
General Secretary of the Labour Party The General Secretary of the Labour Party is the most senior employee of the British Labour Party, and acts as the non-voting secretary to the National Executive Committee. When there is a vacancy the National Executive Committee selects a provi ...
David Evans ordering Labour branches and constituency parties not to discuss investigations into antisemitism, a related libel settlement and the adoption of
International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance The International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) (until January 2013 known as the Task Force for International Cooperation on Holocaust Education, Remembrance, and Research or ITF) is an intergovernmental organization founded in 1998 which ...
's working definition of antisemitism, JVL said "there is nothing illegitimate" in members seeking to debate the differing views that are widespread at all levels of the party and called Evans "to withdraw this draconian attempt to silence the membership by forbidding legitimate and necessary debate on important matters of concern to us all."


See also

*
Independent Jewish Voices Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) is an organization launched on 5 February 2007 by 150 prominent British Jews such as Nobel laureate Harold Pinter, historian Eric Hobsbawm, lawyer Sir Geoffrey Bindman, Lady Ellen Dahrendorf, film director Mike ...
* Jewdas *
Jewish Labour Movement {{Infobox organization , name = Jewish Labour Movement , pronounce = , nickname = , named_after = , logo = JewishLabourMovementLogo.png , image_border = , size ...
*
Jewish Socialists' Group The Jewish Socialists' Group (JSG) is a Jewish socialist collective in Britain, formed in the 1970s. History JSG was founded in Manchester/Liverpool in 1974-1977 as a lobby group campaigning against the fascist National Front and for the left ...
*
Socialist society (Labour Party) A socialist society is a membership organisation that is affiliated with the Labour Party (UK), Labour Party in the United Kingdom, UK. The best-known and oldest socialist society is the Fabian Society, founded in 1884, some years before the crea ...


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jewish Voice for Labour 2017 establishments in the United Kingdom Political organizations established in 2017 Jewish political organizations Jewish organisations based in the United Kingdom Opposition to antisemitism in the United Kingdom Non-governmental organizations involved in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict Organisations associated with the Labour Party (UK)