Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl reacts to decision of MPs to quit Labour Party

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the decision of a group of seven Labour MPs to quit the Labour Party and set up an independent group in Parliament.

Marie said: “Today a group of seven Labour MPs announced their decision to leave the Labour Party and sit as an independent group in Parliament. In a searing indictment of the Labour leadership both Luciana Berger MP and Mike Gapes MP accused the party of being institutionally antisemitic. In the light of the horrific abuse aimed at Jewish MPs, we stand in solidarity with all those who have been targeted. Labour has failed to deal with antisemitism since the Jewish Community’s Enough is Enough demonstration called  on the Labour leadership to act against this racism. This is a moment of great shame for the Labour Party and a tragedy for the thousands of Jews who have supported the Party for generations.”