This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jul/17/labour-agrees-to-fresh-antisemitism-consultation-after-stormy-debate
The article has changed 10 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Labour's refusal to drop new antisemitism code angers Jewish leaders | Labour's refusal to drop new antisemitism code angers Jewish leaders |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Labour’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) has infuriated Jewish leaders and many of the party’s MPs after refusing to overturn a decision to adopt a controversial new code of conduct on antisemitism. | Labour’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) has infuriated Jewish leaders and many of the party’s MPs after refusing to overturn a decision to adopt a controversial new code of conduct on antisemitism. |
| At what sources said was a fraught meeting, an attempt to ditch the code, which had been formally adopted by an NEC subcommittee, was rejected. But in a compromise measure proposed by the Scottish parliamentary candidate Rhea Wolfson, the NEC agreed to reopen consultations about the code’s wording over the summer. | At what sources said was a fraught meeting, an attempt to ditch the code, which had been formally adopted by an NEC subcommittee, was rejected. But in a compromise measure proposed by the Scottish parliamentary candidate Rhea Wolfson, the NEC agreed to reopen consultations about the code’s wording over the summer. |
| A Labour party spokesperson said: “The NEC upheld the adoption of the code of conduct on antisemitism but, in recognition of the serious concerns expressed, agreed to reopen the development of the code, in consultation with Jewish community organisations and groups, in order to better reflect their views.” | |
| The code of conduct has been widely criticised because it fails to incorporate all the examples listed alongside the internationally accepted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism – a measure called for by an overwhelming majority of the party’s MPs at a meeting on Monday night. | The code of conduct has been widely criticised because it fails to incorporate all the examples listed alongside the internationally accepted International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism – a measure called for by an overwhelming majority of the party’s MPs at a meeting on Monday night. |
| Labour says the code of conduct contextualises and expands on the examples in the widely accepted IHRA definition. But the decision to rewrite them has underlined perceptions that Jeremy Corbyn’s party has failed to take the issue sufficiently seriously. | Labour says the code of conduct contextualises and expands on the examples in the widely accepted IHRA definition. But the decision to rewrite them has underlined perceptions that Jeremy Corbyn’s party has failed to take the issue sufficiently seriously. |
| Wes Streeting, the MP for Ilford North and co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for British Jews, said: “The decision of the Labour party’s NEC and the message it sends to Britain’s Jewish community is utterly contemptible. The damage it will inflict on our credibility as an anti-racist political party is the leadership’s responsibility – and theirs alone.” | Wes Streeting, the MP for Ilford North and co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for British Jews, said: “The decision of the Labour party’s NEC and the message it sends to Britain’s Jewish community is utterly contemptible. The damage it will inflict on our credibility as an anti-racist political party is the leadership’s responsibility – and theirs alone.” |
| A spokesman for the Jewish Labour Movement said: “The Labour party has acted in a deliberate and offensive, reckless manner in believing it understands the needs of a minority community better than the community itself. We await to see if any further ‘reviews’ change this. | A spokesman for the Jewish Labour Movement said: “The Labour party has acted in a deliberate and offensive, reckless manner in believing it understands the needs of a minority community better than the community itself. We await to see if any further ‘reviews’ change this. |
| “This is not the same party that wrote the Equalities Act and has proudly championed minorities. The impact on Jewish Labour activists has been unprecedented and severe.” | |
| The former Labour leader Ed Miliband waded into the row, saying: “Labour should adopt the full IHRA definition. The argument that it is somehow incompatible with criticising the actions of the Israeli government is wrong. The views of the vast majority of the Jewish community are very clear. I would urge the NEC to get on with this at speed.” | The former Labour leader Ed Miliband waded into the row, saying: “Labour should adopt the full IHRA definition. The argument that it is somehow incompatible with criticising the actions of the Israeli government is wrong. The views of the vast majority of the Jewish community are very clear. I would urge the NEC to get on with this at speed.” |
| NEC sources said the atmosphere was tense at the meeting and that one member, Peter Willsman, had upset others by asking for a show of hands of who believed there was antisemitism in the party. The Labour MP Keith Vaz also expressed strong opposition to changing the party’s current position, sources said. | NEC sources said the atmosphere was tense at the meeting and that one member, Peter Willsman, had upset others by asking for a show of hands of who believed there was antisemitism in the party. The Labour MP Keith Vaz also expressed strong opposition to changing the party’s current position, sources said. |
| They were pitched against Labour’s deputy leader, Tom Watson, and the Momentum founder, Jon Lansman, who both urged colleagues to act. Watson reportedly said: “Are we serious about winning a general election? Are we serious about dealing with antisemitism? If so we need to grip this issue and close it down.” | |
| The examples removed from the IHRA definition include accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel than their own nations, claiming that the existence of the state of Israel is a racist endeavour and comparing Israeli actions with those of the Nazis. | The examples removed from the IHRA definition include accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel than their own nations, claiming that the existence of the state of Israel is a racist endeavour and comparing Israeli actions with those of the Nazis. |
| Labour has argued the removed examples were already covered in a wider new code of conduct, but claimed some of the original examples needed clarification to be used by a political party and to avoid stifling debate, particularly on Israel and Palestine. | Labour has argued the removed examples were already covered in a wider new code of conduct, but claimed some of the original examples needed clarification to be used by a political party and to avoid stifling debate, particularly on Israel and Palestine. |
| Labour MPs had demanded a change of heart at a private meeting on Monday night, arguing that the full definition was widely used, including by the Crown Prosecution Service, the Scottish parliament, the Welsh assembly and 124 local authorities. | Labour MPs had demanded a change of heart at a private meeting on Monday night, arguing that the full definition was widely used, including by the Crown Prosecution Service, the Scottish parliament, the Welsh assembly and 124 local authorities. |
| The MPs voted overwhelmingly to back a motion, proposed by two Jewish MPs, Luciana Berger and Alex Sobel, that the parliamentary Labour party should adopt the definition and urging the NEC to follow suit. | The MPs voted overwhelmingly to back a motion, proposed by two Jewish MPs, Luciana Berger and Alex Sobel, that the parliamentary Labour party should adopt the definition and urging the NEC to follow suit. |
| The row had been further fuelled on Monday, when an unprecedented alliance of 68 rabbis from across the spectrum, ultra-Orthodox to liberal, signed a letter to the Guardian calling on the party to engage with the community on the issue. | The row had been further fuelled on Monday, when an unprecedented alliance of 68 rabbis from across the spectrum, ultra-Orthodox to liberal, signed a letter to the Guardian calling on the party to engage with the community on the issue. |
| However, ahead of the meeting on Tuesday, a coalition of 36 international Jewish anti-Zionist groups signed a letter of opposition, calling the IHRA definition a “distorted definition of antisemitism to stifle criticism of Israel”. | However, ahead of the meeting on Tuesday, a coalition of 36 international Jewish anti-Zionist groups signed a letter of opposition, calling the IHRA definition a “distorted definition of antisemitism to stifle criticism of Israel”. |
| Labour | Labour |
| Judaism | Judaism |
| Antisemitism | Antisemitism |
| Religion | Religion |
| news | news |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on Google+ | Share on Google+ |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |