LABOUR should not “take its cue from its political enemies” by caving in to critics on how it defines anti-semitism, Jewish socialists said today.

Well over 1,400 emails have been sent to members of the party’s national executive committee (NEC) via the Grassroots for Jeremy website alone, calling on it to resist pressure to adopt all examples attached to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of anti-semitism.

Labour has adopted the IHRA definition but has not fully endorsed all the examples, as some can be interpreted as restricting the right to criticise the Israeli state. Even the definition’s drafter Kenneth Stern has warned the document has had a “chilling” effect on freedom of speech relating to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory.

However, right-wing MPs and some trade union leaders urged the party to adopt all the examples to show it is serious about tackling anti-semitism.

At the weekend, NEC member Darren Williams acknowledged the huge volume of correspondence calling on him to stick to the NEC current code of conduct.

“I don’t support the endorsement of the IHRA examples because I am concerned about the implications for members’ freedom to make legitimate criticisms of the Israeli state,” he posted on Facebook.

Addressing speculation that a forthcoming NEC meeting would consider adopting the examples in full, “but with an accompanying statement intended to protect free speech,” he said he remained “sceptical that anything of this nature would offer sufficient safeguards.”

Jewish Socialists’ Group spokeswoman Julia Bard said the idea that the IHRA definition was “the internationally accepted definition of anti-semitism” was “simply not true.”

It had only been adopted by six of the 31 IHRA member countries, she pointed out. “One of those is Austria, whose anti-semitic government is threatening to ban kosher (and halal) meat and make Jews register with the state to obtain it.

“Another is Lithuania, whose authorities are promoting the commemoration of nazi collaborators. Far from protecting Jews, the IHRA document is acting as a cover for anti-semitic states.

“A third country which has taken on the IHRA document is Israel, which has just enacted the nation-state law, making discrimination against Palestinians and all other non-Jews official.”

Organisations such as the Board of Deputies of British Jews which are pushing for Labour to adopt the document “neither represent nor speak for most Jews,” Ms Bard told the Morning Star.

“The Labour Party should not take its cue from its political enemies.”