Revised post, as press released, 26 March 2018. Signatories’ list updated at 18.12:



Statement from Jews in the Labour Party

We are Jews in the Labour Party currently actively campaigning for Labour in local elections. We are appalled by the actions and statements of the Board of Deputies. They do not represent us or the many Jews in the Party who share Jeremy Corbyn’s vision for social justice and fairness. Jeremy’s consistent commitment to anti-racism is all the more needed now.

As the British people call time on May and the Tories, they are getting more desperate. We would hope that any organisation claiming to represent Jews would be calling them to account when, to cite two examples in the last two months, the Prime Minister‘s ex Chief of Staff uses a national newspaper to dredge up an antisemitic conspiracy theory, and Havering Conservative party issues a dogwhistle leaflet hoping to mobilise racism in their local election campaign. The Board of Deputies has been silent on both. It also says nothing on the global rise of the far right and the toxic anti-immigrant rhetoric of the tabloid press, despite the imperative from Jewish history to speak out against racism and fascism.

The Board of Deputies and those supporting them must be aware that this is an attempt to influence local elections and has nothing to do with the real and necessary task of challenging racism and anti-semitism at all levels of political life. We call on them to stop playing politics and start representing what our community needs. We believe that is best represented by the politics we fight for and hope to see win on May 3rd.

Signed

Jenny Manson and Leah Levane co-chairs of JVL, on behalf of Jewish Voice for Labour

Jewish Socialist Group

Sue Lukes Labour council candidate, Islington North CLP

Joseph Finlay Enfield Southgate CLP

Lev Taylor Camberwell and Peckham CLP

Stephen Marks Oxford District Labour Party

Richard Kuper Holborn & St Pancras CLP

Naomi Wimborne-Idrissi, Chingford and Woodford Green CLP

Cllr Mike Howard Hastings & Rye CLP

Glyn Secker

Dave Rosenberg Islington North CLP Convenor Cable Street 80

Julia Bard Islington North CLP

Ian Saville, Brent Central CLP

Lara Johnson. Bracknell CLP

Ivor Dembina Vauxhall CLP

Pam Laurance, Brent Central CLP

Pauline Laurance, Finchley and Golders Green CLP

Miriam Yagud Stroud CLP

Miri Franklin

Dorothy Macedo Worthing West CLP

Alice Bondi, Penrith and the Border CLP

Sue Hughes Hornsey & Wood Green. CLP

Angie Mindel Nottingham East CLP

Paul Halas Stroud CLP

Ruth Appleton, Holborn & St Pancras CLP

Daniel Vulkan, Hornsey & Wood Green CLP

Susan Pashkoff, Leyton and Wanstead CLP

Professor Lynne Segal Islington North CLP

Brian Warshaw Labour International

John Goodman Rugby CLP

Mica Nava Islington North CLP

Professor David Epstein, FRS. Kenilworth & Southam CLP

Diana Neslen Ilford South CLP

Roland Rance, Walthamstow CLP

Eran Cohen, Finchley and Golders Green CLP

Annabelle Sreberny Islington North CLP

Mark Findlay, Brighton Pavilion CLP

Inbar Tamari Walthamstow CLP

Rebecca Lissak Bristol East CLP

Cllr Barry Lewis Thanet North CLP

Professor Judith Suissa Finchley and Golders Green CLP

Ivan Wels, Nottingham East CLP

Riva Joffe, Holborn and St Pancras CLP

Ruth Lukom Walthamstow CLP

Mike Gerber Walthamstow CLP

Sue Shaw Henley CLP

Deborah Maccoby Leeds North-East CLP

Alex Scott-Samuel Liverpool Wavertree CLP

Professor Andrew Samuels Islington North CLP

Rosamine Hayeem Harrow East CLP

Abe Hayeem Harrow East CLP

Cllr Barry Kushner Liverpool Garston and Halewood CLP

Professor Miriam E David Hornsey and Wood Green CLP

Shlomit Ferguson Enfield CLP

Jay Blackwood Bristol East CLP

Max Kane Hove CLP

Councillor Barry Buitekant, Haggerston Ward, Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP

Contact Sue Lukes 07715 008536 [email protected] for any further details