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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/05/labour-antisemitism-row-margaret-hodge-urges-jeremy-corbyn-to-rebuild-trust
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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Hodge urges Corbyn to rebuild trust after Labour antisemitism row | Hodge urges Corbyn to rebuild trust after Labour antisemitism row |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| The backbench Labour MP Margaret Hodge has called for Jeremy Corbyn to “start rebuilding trust” and act to heal the wounds caused by the party’s long-running antisemitism row. | The backbench Labour MP Margaret Hodge has called for Jeremy Corbyn to “start rebuilding trust” and act to heal the wounds caused by the party’s long-running antisemitism row. |
| Labour adopts IHRA antisemitism definition in full | Labour adopts IHRA antisemitism definition in full |
| Hodge was speaking the day after Labour’s ruling national executive committee adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition in full with all 11 examples – as called for by the Jewish community – with the addition of a short statement reaffirming the importance of freedom of expression on Israel and the rights of Palestinians. | Hodge was speaking the day after Labour’s ruling national executive committee adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition in full with all 11 examples – as called for by the Jewish community – with the addition of a short statement reaffirming the importance of freedom of expression on Israel and the rights of Palestinians. |
| She said Corbyn should not have proposed a page-and-a-half additional clarification to the IHRA definition of antisemitism at Tuesday’s NEC meeting because if it had been accepted it would have “offended deeply the Jewish community”. | She said Corbyn should not have proposed a page-and-a-half additional clarification to the IHRA definition of antisemitism at Tuesday’s NEC meeting because if it had been accepted it would have “offended deeply the Jewish community”. |
| Hodge, a critic of Corbyn, said that had the additional clarification been adopted by the body it would have been “viewed by them as racist”. She urged the Labour party leader to “start rebuilding trust” and act to heal the wounds caused by the antisemitism row. | Hodge, a critic of Corbyn, said that had the additional clarification been adopted by the body it would have been “viewed by them as racist”. She urged the Labour party leader to “start rebuilding trust” and act to heal the wounds caused by the antisemitism row. |
| The most contentious part of the clarification read out by Corbyn said: “Nor should it be regarded as antisemitic to describe Israel, its policies or the circumstances around its foundation as racist because of their discriminatory impact, or to support another settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict.” | The most contentious part of the clarification read out by Corbyn said: “Nor should it be regarded as antisemitic to describe Israel, its policies or the circumstances around its foundation as racist because of their discriminatory impact, or to support another settlement of the Israel-Palestine conflict.” |
| Shami Chakrabarti, the party’s shadow attorney general, said it was time for Labour to come together now it had agreed to fully accept the IHRA definition. She said to Hodge, other Jewish community leaders and anyone else who had been hurt by the row that “this is the time to come back into the room for discussion.” | Shami Chakrabarti, the party’s shadow attorney general, said it was time for Labour to come together now it had agreed to fully accept the IHRA definition. She said to Hodge, other Jewish community leaders and anyone else who had been hurt by the row that “this is the time to come back into the room for discussion.” |
| She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme she hoped there could be reasonable debate on the subject: “We have accepted these [eleven IHRA] examples. It took so long because of genuine anxieties – however misplaced – about free speech on one of the most intractable problems in the world. | She told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme she hoped there could be reasonable debate on the subject: “We have accepted these [eleven IHRA] examples. It took so long because of genuine anxieties – however misplaced – about free speech on one of the most intractable problems in the world. |
| “Come back into the room. I will open the door. I will put the kettle on. But come back into the room because it’s time for reasonable debate.” | “Come back into the room. I will open the door. I will put the kettle on. But come back into the room because it’s time for reasonable debate.” |
| A tense three-hour discussion at the NEC culminated in Corbyn’s statement being noted after a debate in which a wide range of views about it were aired. The agenda item was concluded when it was agreed to adopt the IHRA definition in full, issue the short supporting statement and hold a further consultation about antisemitism and the party’s code of conduct. | A tense three-hour discussion at the NEC culminated in Corbyn’s statement being noted after a debate in which a wide range of views about it were aired. The agenda item was concluded when it was agreed to adopt the IHRA definition in full, issue the short supporting statement and hold a further consultation about antisemitism and the party’s code of conduct. |
| A Labour spokesperson said: “The NEC has today adopted all of the IHRA examples of antisemitism, in addition to the IHRA definition which Labour adopted in 2016, alongside a statement which ensures this will not in any way undermine freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians.” | A Labour spokesperson said: “The NEC has today adopted all of the IHRA examples of antisemitism, in addition to the IHRA definition which Labour adopted in 2016, alongside a statement which ensures this will not in any way undermine freedom of expression on Israel or the rights of Palestinians.” |
| Other Jewish groups voiced concern about the statement Corbyn read out. The Jewish Leadership Council initially suggested that Labour had taken a necessary step in adopting IHRA in full, but later retracted that statement, saying it had been based on a “disingenuous presentation of what the NEC decided”. | Other Jewish groups voiced concern about the statement Corbyn read out. The Jewish Leadership Council initially suggested that Labour had taken a necessary step in adopting IHRA in full, but later retracted that statement, saying it had been based on a “disingenuous presentation of what the NEC decided”. |
| After Labour’s antisemitism U-turn, Jewish people should stick with the party | Keith Kahn-Harris | After Labour’s antisemitism U-turn, Jewish people should stick with the party | Keith Kahn-Harris |
| Simon Johnson, the JLC’s chief executive, said in a second statement that Corbyn had “attempted shamefully to undermine the entire IHRA definition”, adding that the free speech caveat “drives a coach and horses” through that definition. “It is clearly more important to the Labour leader to protect the free speech of those who hate Israel than it is to protect the Jewish community from the real threats that it faces,” Johnson said. | Simon Johnson, the JLC’s chief executive, said in a second statement that Corbyn had “attempted shamefully to undermine the entire IHRA definition”, adding that the free speech caveat “drives a coach and horses” through that definition. “It is clearly more important to the Labour leader to protect the free speech of those who hate Israel than it is to protect the Jewish community from the real threats that it faces,” Johnson said. |
| Labour sources added that Corbyn had spoken about the importance of the NEC being united on the issue and said his statement was not formally moved. They added that there were “no votes” on antisemitism and the party’s code of conduct at the meeting because decisions were reached by consensus. | Labour sources added that Corbyn had spoken about the importance of the NEC being united on the issue and said his statement was not formally moved. They added that there were “no votes” on antisemitism and the party’s code of conduct at the meeting because decisions were reached by consensus. |
| Corbyn said Labour was committed to “eradicating the social cancer of antisemitism”, the party sources added, and that he recognised “deep concern and pain” across the party over the loss of confidence among Jewish communities. | Corbyn said Labour was committed to “eradicating the social cancer of antisemitism”, the party sources added, and that he recognised “deep concern and pain” across the party over the loss of confidence among Jewish communities. |
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| Shami Chakrabarti | Shami Chakrabarti |
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