Major Jewish groups demand 'cultural change' from Jeremy Corbyn ahead of crunch anti-Semitism meeting
3 min read
Two major Jewish groups have demanded Jeremy Corbyn undertakes a “deep cultural change” in their latest shot in the battle over the Labour anti-Semitism scandal.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews (BoD) and the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC) penned angry letters to Labour general secretary Jennie Formby as they lamented the “hostile environment” in the party.
It comes as an internal Labour working group finalises its proposals for a new anti-Semitism code to be voted on by the ruling National Executive Committee next week.
Party bosses are expected to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-Jewish racism, but are reportedly set to include additions aimed at allowing a set of specific criticisms of Israel.
The meeting comes amid a period of heightened tension in relations between the party and key Jewish figures - after footage emerged of Mr Corbyn saying some British Zionists do not understand “English irony”.
The BoD said the comment - as well as a range of past meetings Mr Corbyn attended with the extreme fringes of the pro-Palestine movement - “send a signal that such behaviour is acceptable or laudable”.
“This in turn leads to a hostile environment for Jews, where our Britishness is questioned and those who have even sought to kill British Jews or our relatives are praised”.
The group laid out a set of recommendations for the party, including not watering down the IHRA examples and ensuring the new code applies to past cases - following rumours Labour had designs over both.
It also urged the party to deal with a backlog of alleged anti-Semitism cases swiftly - after a previously promised deadline was missed - and greater transparency in the party disciplinary processes.
The Jewish Leadership Council meanwhile said Mr Corbyn should begin “a process of deep cultural change” by apologising for his past words and associations.
The group said no “real progress can be made” within Labour in the “understanding of anti-Semitism” until the leadership had undertaken such a change.
A Labour spokesperson said: “The Labour Party and Jeremy Corbyn have made clear their total opposition to anti-Semitism and repeatedly stressed that we must ensure our party is a welcoming home for Jews, so that Jewish members can play a full part in our campaiging to rebuild Britain for the many not the few."
Meanwhile, Labour MP Ian Austin today joined Jewish groups to warn against any rumoured caveats to the IHRA definition in the anti-Semitism code.
Earlier this month, Mr Corbyn apologised to Jewish people over the "hurt that’s been caused" by anti-Semitism in the Labour party and said it is his responsibility to root it out.
He said: "Driving anti-Semitism out of the party for good and working with the Jewish community to rebuild trust are vital priorities."
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