We write in response to the letter you published on 21 February, asserting that Jeremy Corbyn was a crucial ally in the fight against bigotry and reaction and that a Labour government would be a powerful force against antisemitism.

The signatories to that letter plainly feel the need to rely on their Judaism to bolster its content. This may be because they consider it to be some protection from the view that many of your readers would otherwise take when reading their assertions, but it is essentially irrelevant. The vast majority of the UK Jewish community has made its view of Mr Corbyn clear. So too has the public in various opinion polls. He is not trusted on antisemitism, first because he has not acted against it and because his own actions are, at least, concerning. Second, because those claiming to speak about antisemitism in his name do so without reproach or disassociation.

The Labour party has, previously, been a force for good in promoting anti-racism, as the authors acknowledge. Sadly, that is no longer the case. It has never been the case, anywhere, that a party which could not root out antisemitism from its midst, tolerated those accusing Jews of manufacturing it, and lost the trust of the Jewish community, ever governed fairly, decently or competently. Antisemitism is corruption, and corruption spreads.

We also disagree with the authors’ apparent belief that the ability to criticise Israel is critical to the debate on antisemitism. The Labour party’s adoption of the IHRA definition marks its acceptance of the fact that criticism of Israel must not involve antisemitism, and that there is a wide range of acceptable criticism that does not. The discredited argument that antisemitism is invented by Jews to protect Israel is antisemitic. So is criticism of Israel outside the IHRA guidelines and definition. Both of these things should be outwith the scope of mainstream, tolerant debate.

Suggesting a permissible link between the Labour leadership’s attitude to British Jews and Israel is both wrong and shameful. There is no basis to refuse to reproach or reject the antisemites we refer to above. The leadership’s failure to do so makes Jews part of the “few”, who the Labour party expressly reject.

That Labour is so mistrusted on the issue is uncomfortable and sad. But it must be said. And in saying it, we do not speak as Jews, but as citizens of this country. Antisemitism is not a Jewish problem. It is a problem for Jews.

Dr Scott Aaron

Benjy Aarons-Richardson

Stacey Abendstern

Celia Abery

Michael Abery

Becky Abrahams

Ruth Abrams

Susan Abrams

Laurence Ackerman

Phillippa Ackerman

Steve Ackerman

Dr Adam Albert

Zara Albright

Una Alkin

Danny Allen

Dr Ivor Robbie Allon

Nigel and Maxine Allon

Tim Allon

Victoria Allon

Caroline Allouf

Elaine Allouf

Ruth Angel

Colin Appleby

James Arnold

Ben Arram

Elizabeth Arif-Fear

Jonathan Arkush

Ian Ashleigh

Luisa Attfield

Frank Baigel (Past President JRC Manchester)

Darryl Baker

Lisa Baker (President Leeds JRC)

Neville Bann

Dr Alan Barge

Debbie Barnett

Sharon Barnett

Elie Bar-On

Judo Baroness

Peter Baum

Diane Bederman

Joanne Bell

Lorin Bell-Cross

Laura Benisty

Martin Bennett

David Bennun

Victor Bentata

Rabbi Miriam Berger

Rabbi Martin van den Bergh

Daniel Berke

Vivienne and Howard Berlin

Simon Bernholt

Yael Bezalel

David Bickler

Dr Tim Biggs

Jonathan Bishop

Jonathan Black

Charlene Blake

Anne Blasky

Cecil Bloom

Susan Bloom

Daniel Bloomfield

Sam Boardman-Jacobs

Alan Bolchover

Anthony Bolchover

Claudia Bookey

Gaynor Bond

Rabbi Barbara Borts

Richard Brooks

Alan Burton

Greg Campbell

Phil Carmel

Richard Cannon

Edward Cantor

Loretta Cash

Denise Cattan

Suzanne Cazin

Neil Chamberlain

John Chart

Loretta Childs

Deborah Choueka

Maurice Citron

Nathaniel Cleland

Simone Cleland

Janet Clifford

Simon Cobbs

Alison and Neil Cohen

Adrian Cohen

Andrea Cohen

Deborah Cohen

Jayme Cohen

Joe Cohen

Jon Cohen

Jonny Cohen

Julian Cohen-Gold

Maya Cohen

Michael Cohen

Rachel Cohen

Robert Cohen

Ronete Cohen

Sally Cohen

David Collier

David Collins

Dean Collins

Miriam Collins

Ruth Collins

Karen Colpitts

Nathan Comisky

Russell Conn

Richard Cooper

June Coppel

Paul Corrick

Lee Cowen

Karen Cramer

Ben Crowne

Dina Crystal OBE

Dahlia Cuby

Michael Cuby

Stanley Cundle

Alan Curtis

Jeremy Dable

Freddie Dalah

Martin Davies

Yochi Davies

Elliot Davies

Howard Dapin

Pat Dapin

Sophie Dapin

David Davidi-Brown (CEO UJS)

Baroness Ruth Deech

Jeremy Dein QC

Rocio Deliot

Anthony Dennison

Dr Elaine Dinerstein

Mark Dines

Avi Djanogly

Josie Dobrin

Maurice Doffman

Jeremy Drysdale

Alex Dwek

Miriam Dwek

Sarah Ebner

Micha Eden Erdesz

Donna Edmunds

Rivka Ellituv

Lydia and Jonathan Engler

Sandra Ernstoff

John Erskine

Michael Ezra

Hannah Feldman

Rosina Felstein

Michael Fielding

Ann Fine

Daniel Finestein

Hilary Firestone

Jonathan Fishburn

Ruth Fisher

Yehudis Fletcher

Catherine Forman

Shimon Forman

Stephen Forman

Zev Forman

Rabbi Michael Foulds OBE

Dan Fox

Rob Francis

Stephen Franklin

Paul Franks

Geoffrey Freedland

Dov Freedman

Jon Freedman

Hilary Freeman

Marshal Frieze

Terri Fresko

Howard Fuller

Mark Furman

Roy Gabbie

Richard Galber

B Gantz

Harvey Garfield

Councillor Joshua Garfield

Bernard Garston

Lee Garston

David Geey

Andrew Gellert

Dr Selina Gellert

Morton Geppert

Joshua Gertner

Andrew Gilbert

Marilyn Gillis

Sarah Gimore

Jonathan Glass

Hilary Glassman

Jamie Glassman

Laurence Glyn

Richard Gold (Local Labour Candidate, Sedgley Ward, Bury)

Darren Goldberg

Maria Goldman

Angela Goldstein

Harry Goldstein

Eddie Goldstone

Simon Goldstone

Ella Goldwater

Nigel Goodrich

Rabbi Jeremy Gordon

Jonny Gould

Sheridan Gould

Lucille Grant

Raffi Grant

Natalie Grazin

Lynda Groiser

Paul Groiser

Edmund Grower

Rabbi H Gruber

Sally Halon

Benny Har-Even

Lee Harpin

Lesley and Philip Harris

Lysa Harris

Shelley Hart

Jeremy Havardi

Nicola Hawcroft-Heighway

Walter Hecht

Maurice Helfgott

David Herman

Mark Herman

Betty and Ian Hill

David Hirsch

Andrea Hirschhorn

Martin Hizer

Dr Simon Hochhauser

Stephen and Liz Hoffman

Gillian Howard

Ramon Huss

Clive and Ros Hyman

Martin Hyman

David Isaacs

Susan Isaacs

Alison Islin

Nicole Izsak

Anthony Jacobs

Dan Jacobs

Cantor Zoe Jacobs

Adam Jacobson

Denis Jacobson

Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner

Daniel Jonas

Debbie Joseph

Eric Joseph

Lawrence Julius

Lyn Julius

Michael Kalischer

Jonathan Katz

Claire Katzenellonbogen

Dr Tony Kaye

Judy Keiner

Ian and Vivienne Keller

Helen Kissen

Nicholas Kissen

Lesley Klaff

Leonard Klahr

Susan Klonin

Michael Korb

Evie Korn

Sonny Kosky

Hana Kovler

Professor Matthew Kramer

Diane Krief

Mina Kupfermann

Melanie Laban

Nicole Lampert

Rhonda and Daniel Landerman

Sarah Landes

Raphael Langham

Adam Langleben

Monica Lanyado

Susie Lanyado-Averbrook

Professor Shlomo Lappin

Alex Latner

Richard Latner

Stephen Latner

Nigel Lawrence

Simon Lawrence

Gillian Lazarus

Leslie Lazarus

David Lee

Linda and Martin Lee

Simone Lee

Wendy Lee

Adam Leigh

Robin Leigh

Damon Lenszner

Daniel Leons-Marder

Paul Leslie

David Levene

Ruth Leveson

Lawrence Levin

Pauline Levis

Chantelle Levison

Gad Levy

Jan Levy

Laureen Levy

Mark Levy

Raphael Levy

Stuart Levy

Arnold Lewis

Jonathan Lewis

Mark Lewis

Charlotte Libman

Gad Libson

Ilan Lieberman

Melvyn Lipitch

Dena Lipman

Francis Lipman

Lee Lipman

Jony Lipsey

Nigel Lithman QC

Harvey and Malka Livingstone

Nicola Livingstone

Eva Lowe

Amelia Lubin

Doreen Lubin

Ian Lubin

Jonathan Lubin

Sharon Lubin

Jack Lubner

Jane Lush

Suzanne Lynn

Alexandra Lyons

Kitty Lyons

Roger Lyons

Hannah Lyons-Singer

Adam Ma’anit

Dr Denis MacEoin

Dave MacPherson

Laura Marcus

Stephen Margolis

Simon Marks

Joshua Maurice

James Mendelsohn

Andrew Michaelson

Jeremy Michelson

David Miller

Denise Miller

Rob Minshull

Toby Minton

Jane Mordo

Rob Morris

Sarah Morris

Ariel Moshe

Edward Moss

Elliot Moss (Secretary, Bury Labour Party)

Nick Moss

Clive Moss-Barclay

Bev Myers

Keith Myers

Hannah Myerson

Simon Myerson QC

Dr Laurence Nathan

Rupert Nathan

Pete Newbon

Andrea Nicholls

Jacqueline Nicholls

Daniel Norris

Tal Ofer

Alon Or-bach

Judith Offman

Jonathan Ornstein

Judith and Ged Ornstein

Zoe Ornstein

Dr Neville Packter

Martin Pagel

Cathy Peck

Elliot Perry

Mordechai Pinchas

Linzi Pinto

Linda Pitch

Nick Pitch

Matt Plenn

Marilyn Polak

Raymond Polak

Stephen Pollard

Ze’ev Portner

Janet Posner

Rochelle Posner

Keren Querfurth

Esta Rae

Maggie Rafalowicz

Martin Rankoff

Muriel and Philip Rapport

Gabrielle Rauf

Kate Ray

Jill Redhouse

Jude Regen

Dr Nicola Renton

Councillor Nicola Richards

Andrew Risner

Andrew Roberjot

Kate Roche

Brian Rodden

Sharon Rodden

Dr Sam Rodin

Daniel Rolnick

Rabbi Dr Jonathan Romain

John Rome

Rob Rome

Roz Rome

Andrea Rose

Joel Rosen

Aaron Rosenberg

David Rosenberg

Gemma Rosenblatt

Vivien Rosenblatt

Frank Rosenhead

Ruth and Gordon Rosenthal

Suzy Rosenthal

Adrienne Ross

Andrew Ross

Rabbi Sylvia Rothschild

Michael Rubinstein (JRC Manchester)

Davina Rudie

Nina Rudnick

Helen Rudolf

Evelyn Russell

Marion and David Ryde

Stephen Spencer Ryde

Adam Rynhold

Valda SadkaJo Saipe

Doreen Samuels

Chris Sangani (Vice Chair, Wanstead Park Labour Party)

Ben Santhouse

Marilyn Saponia

Diane Saunders

Gill Saunders

Yona Saunders

Dr Adam Schogger

Shelley Schwartz

Debbie Sciama

Louise Scodie

Avril Segal

Stephen Segal

Jill Seltzer

Lucy Selwyn

Liz Sewell

David Seymour

Liz Shapiro

Philip Shapiro

Fiona Sharpe

Olivia Shaw

Ellie Sheaf

Jo Sheaf

Raina and Michael Sheaf

Louise Sherman

Nicole Shifrin

Anne Shine

Michelle Shine

Diana Shonfeld

Carole Shotts

Jeremy Shotts

Mark Shupac

Judy Silkoff

Professor David Silverman

Lisa Simmons

Ms S N Simmons

Deanne Simon

Gregory Sinclair

Michael Sinclair

Michelle Sinclair

Raf Singer

Howard Skolnick

Alexandra Smith

Joel Soetendorp

Doe Solomon

Edward Solomon

Elana Solomon

Mark Solomon

Marlon Solomon

Raymond Solomon

Shira Solomons

Rabbi Zvi Solomons

David Somen

Vera Somen

Stephen Specterman

Marlena Spieler

Barbra Spring

Mike Stalbow

Diana Stanley

Naomi Stanley

Ann Stanton

Mark Starr

Alexis Steadman

Sammy Stein

Percy Stern

Wendy Stern

Sandra Stewart

Claire Straus

Professor David Stone

Richard Stroud

Sharon Swaden

Guy and Lynsey Swimer

Ilana Swimer

Neil Swimer

Stuart Swimer

Ida Symons

George Szirtes

Rabbi Jackie Tabick

Roni Tabick

Liora Tamam

Morris Tarragano

Gail Taylor

Warren Taylor

Leanne Thomas

Marion Tinger

David Toube (Director of Policy, Quilliam)

Justyn Trenner

Sue Trotter

Joanne Tuck

Jonathan Turner

Sue Urding

Warren Usden

Linda Vallins

Liron Vellman (Jewish Labour Movement Youth and Students Officer)

Mira Vogel

Jonathan Wall

Geraldine Watson

Student Rabbi Gabriel Webber

Alan Webster

Michael Wegier

Judy Weleminsky

Francine White

Jo White

Jonathan White

David Winner

Phillip Winsky

Natascha Wolf

Joy Wolfe MBE

David Wolfson

David Wolfson QC

Chana Wynick

Matthew Yeager

Sarah Mann-Yeager

Evelyn Yedd

Julian Young

Monique Zahavi

Rabbi Dr Andrea Zanardo

Sarah Zanardo

