We Need to Learn Lessons From Labour’s “Antisemitism Crisis”
Published
by
Richard Kuper
JVL Introduction
Jamie Stern-Weiner looks at how the campaign to label the Labour Party as antisemitic unfolded and how this contributed to Labour’s defeat in December.
The Party’s failure to respond effectively to a vast amount of disinformation holds important lessons for left-wing movements elsewhere – particularly in the United States where accusations of antisemitism are being weaponised to derail the Sanders campaign.
This article was originally published by Jacobin on Thu 20 Feb 2020. Read the original here.
We Need to Learn Lessons From Labour’s “Antisemitism Crisis”
The British Labour Party botched its response to false allegations of rampant antisemitism among the party membership. Left-wing movements in other countries can’t make the same mistake.
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Thank you for detailing the gaslighting that was the British media’s coverage of Corbyn this last 4 years. I’ve watched with frustration and mounting disbelief at how this situation has played out. I can imagine what’s coming for Bernie. Hopefully Corbyn’s sacrifice won’t have been in vain.
Good to read this, helps to confirm my views, (British, half-Jewish, Labour) and feel affirmed that I am not the crazy person here! Labour had no idea what was in store when the attack was first launched. We mishandled it right from the start when Ken Livingstone was expelled from the Labour party for anti-semitism – what a travesty of justice! As “nice”, reasonable, compassionate Labour supporters every blow came as a shock as “nice” people do not expect the opponent to completely abandon honour and truth and tell blatant lies and cunning distortions of the truth. Good luck Bernie – do not for one second understimate the poison that will be coming at you.
Excellent article from an outsider looking in. Jamie Stern-Weiner has articulated exactly what many of us have experienced over the last few years.
Good luck to leftwing groups in the USA when the Nettenyahu show visits them
Excellent, insightful article.
Why no mention of the role The Israeli embassy played to destroy the Corbyn project? The amount of money they paid. How they infiltrated the Labour Party and the student movement. Their undercover work as documented in a video The Lobby, can be seen on You Tube.
The pro-Isreal lobby is firmly embedded in UK politics, media etc., as it is in the US. That’s why Corbyn was unable, or unwilling, to even acknowledge the blatantly fake anti-Semitism smear to silence and ban legitimate condemnation of the brutal Israeli apartheid regime which is regularly condemned at the UN for gross human rights abuses and breaks international laws with impunity, because it’s funded and supported by the US. With all three Labour leader candidates blatantly declaring their support for Zionism – i.e. their support for the brutal Israeli apartheid regime – the Labour Party has now abandoned its claim to be a party which supports human rights and justice. A shameful betrayal of the millions of Labour Party members and supporters who support human rights and justice. But, typical of this totally corrupt system fraudulently disguised as ‘democracy’.
As Jamie says, “Don’t try to appease the unappeasable. ‘Labour antisemitism’ was never a grievance amenable to resolution through reasonable compromise, but rather the pretext for a campaign to overthrow Corbyn’s leadership and demobilize his base”.
Jamie has put his finger on the biggest failing of those purporting to campaign for the Palestinians in the UK, that of being unduly apologetic in its response to this McCarthyistic campaign. Jeremy Corbyn and those advising him were at the heart of this problem, “worsening perceptions that he was weak and indecisive”.
One thing Jamie could have usefully added is that this is not just a problem for the Labour Party but for the entire population of this country. If Corbyn can be targeted in this way, then so can anyone who dares put his/her head above the parapet.
Every time Jeremy Corbyn apologised, the bod and their collaborators said it “wasnt enough” because it never ever could be “enough” . Rather JC should have told them what Steve Pollard told him to do after the election.
You can analyse this all you like but the bottom line is that the Israeli Embassy financed a £1m smear campaign to vilify Corbyn as an “anti-Semite” and the compliant British media ran with it.
Another very good article on JVL.
Now, just take a look at this:
US Cable News Host Compares Bernie Sanders Winning To The Nazis Taking France
I fully occur with this. Every time Labour apologised for what should never have been apologised for but, rather, should have been rebutted, my heart sank.
How many – and how badly have -perfectly peaceful people, within UK suffered, because of what is being done in their name and over their heads?
The total misuse of our laws on discrimination, from within the Labour Party’s padded disciplinary committee, has been a disgrace. The deliberate sidelining of the truth, in favour of ‘doublespeak’ is something about which the entire party should be ashamed.. and I write as a Labour Party member.
I am aware that there has been a great shift behind the scenes over the last four years.. but I am also aware that it is not yet complete.. yet it urgently needs now to be.
There is ample evidence of wrongdoing by employees and/or elected representitives/members – and outsiders – against high profile people such as Ken Livingstone, Jeremy Corbyn, Jackie Walker, Chris Williamson, Jo Bird – and others – to sack falsely-acting employees, and put elected representatives who falsely-accuse, out of the Party.
There are many who believe this to be a time for firm action, to revise our Labour Party reputation – and that of every Member, who has also been smeared at the same time.
If the Labour Party’s ‘raison d’etre’ is to mean anything, we must firmly stand our ground.. refusing any further push from outside or within the Party.. but dealing with it appropriately. This is the ideal time to get on with it, since there is currently no way that Labour votes can overturn any Government stupidity.
‘Pride’ is not a term I would readily use, but ‘rights’ certainly is. I think this is a ‘nothing to lose’ moment.
Excellent deconstruction of the ‘antisemitism’ myth.
Another excellent article presented by the JVL website.
It is well-researched and draws conclusions that should resonate with all democrats in the Labour Party who have witnessed one of the great outrages of our time.
Shame upon the candidates for the Labour leadership (and some of the Deputy Leadership candidates) who have rolled over in the face of the BoD’s blackmail.
We have work to do ensuring that the truth is told, and ensuring that those in our party who have propagated lies and defamation against Corbyn and other good socialists are held accountable.
Now is not the time to stop fighting for socialism.