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| Corbyn and Jewish leaders agree to tackle Labour antisemitism | Corbyn and Jewish leaders agree to tackle Labour antisemitism |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Jeremy Corbyn and Britain’s two largest Jewish organisations have agreed to address antisemitism in the Labour party, which Corbyn said would happened “without preconditions”. | |
| In a letter to the Board of Deputies of British Jews (BoD) and the Jewish Leadership Council (JLC), the Labour leader said he accepted “my responsibility to give a strong and continuing personal lead”. | |
| Writing to the JLC chair, Jonathan Goldstein, and BoD president, Jonathan Arkush, Corbyn said he accepted the organisations’ agenda for a meeting. “I place no limitations on the points you would wish to raise and am happy for the agenda to cover the issues you’ve already outlined,” he wrote. | Writing to the JLC chair, Jonathan Goldstein, and BoD president, Jonathan Arkush, Corbyn said he accepted the organisations’ agenda for a meeting. “I place no limitations on the points you would wish to raise and am happy for the agenda to cover the issues you’ve already outlined,” he wrote. |
| “I appreciate and understand the anger you express and reiterate my determination to fight antisemitism within the Labour party and society at large … I recommit to doing all I can to address the anguish and distress caused to many people in the Jewish community. | “I appreciate and understand the anger you express and reiterate my determination to fight antisemitism within the Labour party and society at large … I recommit to doing all I can to address the anguish and distress caused to many people in the Jewish community. |
| “I would welcome an early meeting with your organisations to discuss the issues that you have raised. I am a strong believer that engaging in meaningful dialogue is crucial to finding effective solutions and resolving disputes and I am clear that such a meeting would be just the start of a fruitful ongoing exchange on eradicating antisemitic behaviour and discourse within the Labour party.” | “I would welcome an early meeting with your organisations to discuss the issues that you have raised. I am a strong believer that engaging in meaningful dialogue is crucial to finding effective solutions and resolving disputes and I am clear that such a meeting would be just the start of a fruitful ongoing exchange on eradicating antisemitic behaviour and discourse within the Labour party.” |
| On Wednesday afternoon, both the BoD and JLC said they had accepted an offer of a meeting. “Our community has followed the events of the past few weeks closely. You will appreciate that some of what they have seen has not been reassuring,” they said in a joint letter. | On Wednesday afternoon, both the BoD and JLC said they had accepted an offer of a meeting. “Our community has followed the events of the past few weeks closely. You will appreciate that some of what they have seen has not been reassuring,” they said in a joint letter. |
| “We agree that it would be helpful for [Labour’s] new general secretary, Jennie Formby, to be part of this meeting. However, for this process to be effective, it is crucial that you use your own personal authority as leader of the Labour party to drive the changes required and to ensure that there will be significant, timely and measurable progress on the issues.” | “We agree that it would be helpful for [Labour’s] new general secretary, Jennie Formby, to be part of this meeting. However, for this process to be effective, it is crucial that you use your own personal authority as leader of the Labour party to drive the changes required and to ensure that there will be significant, timely and measurable progress on the issues.” |
| Corbyn’s acceptance of the Jewish leaders’ agenda for the meeting appeared to have paved the way for it to take place, after both Goldstein and Arkush expressed scepticism about meeting the Labour leader without a solid plan for action. Writing to Corbyn at the end of last month, they said there was no point meeting if the situation remained the same or continued to worsen. | Corbyn’s acceptance of the Jewish leaders’ agenda for the meeting appeared to have paved the way for it to take place, after both Goldstein and Arkush expressed scepticism about meeting the Labour leader without a solid plan for action. Writing to Corbyn at the end of last month, they said there was no point meeting if the situation remained the same or continued to worsen. |
| The organisations proposed an agenda that centred on the need for personal leadership from Corbyn to tackle the issue, swift action on outstanding antisemitism disciplinary cases, and a programme of education for party members. | The organisations proposed an agenda that centred on the need for personal leadership from Corbyn to tackle the issue, swift action on outstanding antisemitism disciplinary cases, and a programme of education for party members. |
| It also suggested public engagement with the Jewish communities’ main representative groups, and “not through fringe organisations who wish to obstruct the party’s efforts to tackle antisemitism”. | It also suggested public engagement with the Jewish communities’ main representative groups, and “not through fringe organisations who wish to obstruct the party’s efforts to tackle antisemitism”. |
| The JLC and @BoardofDeputies have had a response from Jeremy Corbyn which we are publishing in full. pic.twitter.com/A56YkIf3Ki | The JLC and @BoardofDeputies have had a response from Jeremy Corbyn which we are publishing in full. pic.twitter.com/A56YkIf3Ki |
| Board of Deputies and @JLC_uk have replied to Jeremy Corbyn’s letter accepting his offer of a meeting and outlining the way forward on tackling antisemitism. #ActionsNotWords #EnoughisEnough pic.twitter.com/XrmaO9M1J2 | Board of Deputies and @JLC_uk have replied to Jeremy Corbyn’s letter accepting his offer of a meeting and outlining the way forward on tackling antisemitism. #ActionsNotWords #EnoughisEnough pic.twitter.com/XrmaO9M1J2 |
| The Jewish Chronicle reported that the organisations believed it would be “churlish” not to accept Corbyn’s response and that a meeting would take place. | The Jewish Chronicle reported that the organisations believed it would be “churlish” not to accept Corbyn’s response and that a meeting would take place. |
| The JLC acts as an umbrella organisation for major British Jewish institutions, including the United Synagogue, the main organisation for orthodox synagogues, as well as the progressive Liberal Judaism and the Movement for Reform Judaism. It also has representation from the main Jewish charities and some pro-Israel organisations. | The JLC acts as an umbrella organisation for major British Jewish institutions, including the United Synagogue, the main organisation for orthodox synagogues, as well as the progressive Liberal Judaism and the Movement for Reform Judaism. It also has representation from the main Jewish charities and some pro-Israel organisations. |
| The BoD is an elected Jewish communal body made up of 300 deputies elected by synagogue memberships across the country, as well as other organisations including the Union of Jewish Students. Deputies then elect its president and vice-presidents. | The BoD is an elected Jewish communal body made up of 300 deputies elected by synagogue memberships across the country, as well as other organisations including the Union of Jewish Students. Deputies then elect its president and vice-presidents. |
| On Tuesday, Corbyn was criticised by the BoD and the Jewish Labour Movement for attending a Passover seder with the leftwing Jewish group Jewdas, which is highly critical of mainstream Jewish bodies and has called attacks on Corbyn over antisemitism “politicised”. The Labour leader defended his attendance at the traditional celebration, saying he had met many young Jewish people and “learned a lot”. | On Tuesday, Corbyn was criticised by the BoD and the Jewish Labour Movement for attending a Passover seder with the leftwing Jewish group Jewdas, which is highly critical of mainstream Jewish bodies and has called attacks on Corbyn over antisemitism “politicised”. The Labour leader defended his attendance at the traditional celebration, saying he had met many young Jewish people and “learned a lot”. |
| The group has been critical of the Israeli government, but has also published pamphlets for pro-Palestinian demonstrations advising activists how to avoid antisemitism in campaigning. | The group has been critical of the Israeli government, but has also published pamphlets for pro-Palestinian demonstrations advising activists how to avoid antisemitism in campaigning. |
| Writing for the Guardian, the group said it was “deeply proud of being Jewish” and criticised Arkush, who told Sky News on Tuesday that the group’s members were the source of “virulent antisemitism”. | Writing for the Guardian, the group said it was “deeply proud of being Jewish” and criticised Arkush, who told Sky News on Tuesday that the group’s members were the source of “virulent antisemitism”. |
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