Board of Deputies President: ‘Labour has utterly failed to achieve progress on antisemitism’

On the eve of Labour’s annual party conference, Board of Deputies of British Jews President Marie van der Zyl has spoken of her “deep” concerns over the party’s continuing failure to banish anti-Jewish racism.

Marie said: “I have deep and ongoing concerns about Labour going into their Party Conference. Since the last party conference, Labour has utterly failed to achieve any meaningful progress on antisemitism in the party. Indeed, this is the year that the Equality and Human Rights Commission decided that anti-Jewish racism was a big enough concern for the party to be fully investigated. To Labour’s shame, the Labour Friends of Israel have decided to pull their promotional stand over security fears, a motion proposing rule changes will be debated on Shabbat when observant Jewish delegates will not be able to attend and an official fringe will feature historian Ilan Pappe, who has argued that Zionism is more dangerous than Islamist militancy. Now, the leadership plans to purge groups which have stood up for the Jewish community, such as Labour Students. Labour has been told countless times about the steps it must take to rid the party of anti-Jewish racism. The leadership, including, Jeremy Corbyn, seems determined to let this disease flourish in the remains of a party which used to be a great, progressive force.”