Jewish Chronicle withdraws support from Hope not Hate

One of the long standing anti-racist organisations was Hope not Hate founded by Nick Lowles after a sanctimonious split with Searchlight who wanted to concentrate on targeting the neo-Nazi far right. Over the years HnH has done some good work but it's recent activities including labelling secularists and Muslim reformers as a threat brings the organisation into disrepute.

The Jewish Chronicle, a long standing supporter has now withdrawn its support and issued the following statement:

For many years this newspaper was a supporter of Hope Not Hate, an organisation that had admirable aims, and welcomed its writers in our pages. But it has now lost its claim to be taken seriously. Last year it started targeting UKIP as if it was no different to the EDL or BNP. But its latest offering on supposed Islamophobes is not merely shoddy - it is dangerous. Including those who criticise aspects of Islam, or even Islamism, even when some of those critics are practicing Muslims, is libellous, ignorant and deeply counter-productive. It also effectively places them on a hit list for jihadis to target. And including the likes of Melanie Phillips on the basis that she is a vocal defender of Israel is deeply disturbing. Hope Not Hate is now, it seems, engaged itself in the politics of hatred - by smear.

Quite.

In solidarity with my community the link to HnH has been removed from the sidebar list of my recommended blogs list.