Labour anti-Semitism, resistance from the left

The crisis inside the Labour Party took new twists and turns tonight as Chris Williamson faced suspension for his comments about Labour being "too apologetic" about anti-Semitism. Even Owen Jones the faux journalist tweeted his support for the move.

Meanwhile a variety of Corbyn supporters are sending a letter to "the top" protesting about the anti-Semitism in Labour but of course they just have to say the accusation against prop-Palestinians is flawed. So make of that what you will. Here's their letter still available for people to sign apparently:

Antisemitism Open Letter

We are Labour members who support Jeremy Corbyn in his leadership and the progressive, socialist programme and anti-racist principles of the Labour Party.
We have seen antisemitism from Labour members and supporters, online or offline. We recognise that as a movement we have been too slow to acknowledge this problem, too tolerant of the existence of antisemitic views within our ranks, too defensive and too eager to downplay it.

We sincerely apologise to the Jewish community, and our Jewish comrades in the party, for our collective failure on this issue to date.

We believe that a small minority of antisemites are wreaking havoc in the Labour movement, alienating Jewish people, and sabotaging the Labour project. Some of these people are already expelled or otherwise suspended by the party, but remain active on social media. Moreover, there is a much wider problem of denial about the problem, including shouting down those who raise it or take action. 

We are acutely aware that confidence in the left is at an all time low within Jewish communities. It is our goal to rebuild trust and relationships with our Jewish compatriots. 

In addition, we understand our obligation to be sensitive to the concerns that have already been widely expressed. A particular issue is that many people, due to a general lack of education about antisemitism, are not recognising antisemitic tropes, and as a result often react defensively. We recognise that rising antisemitism in society at large, and in other parties, isn’t a reason to fall short here in the Labour Party. It is our party that has always led the fight against racism, which is why our failures are bitterly disappointing for Jewish members, and as such we affirm that there is no space for anti-Jewish prejudice and bigotry in our movement. We must be at the forefront of eradicating antisemitism from our own spaces and movement, which is where we have the power to hold ourselves to the highest standard in order to make a real difference.

Part of the difficulty is that when speaking out about the injustices of the Israel-Palestine conflict, progressive and radical activists have faced allegations of antisemitism when they have either not been antisemitic or when they did not intend to be antisemitic and took care to ensure they were not using antisemitic tropes or rhetoric. At the same time, we acknowledge that we face real currents of unchallenged and somewhat normalised anti-Jewish oppression in our movements and society at large including at times alongside criticism of Israel. In order to resolve this we call on all members of the Labour movement to seek an end to bunker mentality, demonstrate maturity and prove why, as a party awaiting government, we can be trusted to face up to the challenges we encounter in bringing about significant change both within and outside of the movement.

It is our ambition to arrive at a place where we can hold ourselves accountable, continuing to address important challenges and having meaningful discussions about topics including the Israel-Palestine conflict. All of this whilst being true and committed allies to our Jewish compatriots in the fight against antisemitism.

We are committed to proactively opposing antisemitism and antisemitic tropes wherever they occur and countering efforts to downplay concerns raised. We want to work with the party to urgently assign resources, in consultation with the Jewish community, to expose and isolate antisemites active online purporting to support Labour; to create and develop political education materials to assist in educating those who are ignorant of this subject and unaware of the nuances of antisemitism; to publish a dedicated page on the Labour Party website addressing antisemitism; to address both new and outstanding cases in a timely manner; and to raise up Jewish voices speaking out about their experiences; and to reiterate publicly and privately that dismissive attitudes and denial are part of the problem.

We understand that many Jewish members feel uncertain and have reservations, but we hope that you will stay in the Labour Party, so we can work with you and together eradicate antisemitism from our movement and society as a whole.

This has been signed so far by the following,

Owen George Emmerson - Wealden CLP
Ciaran McGurdy - Manchester Withington CLP
Iwan Doherty- Warwick and Leamington CLP
Danny Cheetham - Denton and Reddish CLP
Eamon Rooke - Islington South
Jack Turner – Hartlepool CLP & Durham University Labour (DULC)
Simon Foster - Hampstead & Kilburn CLP
Steve H. - Richmond (Yorks) CLP
Maxim Lundlack-Orr - Ealing and Southall CLP
Steve Lapsley - Nottingham East CLP
David Plant - Holborn and St Pancras CLP
Eli Edwards - Cities of London and Westminster CLP
Jeremy Green - Stroud CLP
David Hooke - Islington South & Finsbury CLP
Chris Spence - Newcastle-under-Lyme CLP & West Midlands Regional Board
Matt Steven - Chipping Barnet CLP
Natalie Faulkner - Sheffield Heeley CLP
Jane Heybroek - East Surrey CLP
Matt Wainman - Liverpool Walton CLP
Donach Malachy Wells CLP
Glyn Harries - Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
Andrew Jeffery - Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
William Sorenson - Henley CLP (Youth Officer)
Alex Blenkhorn - Denton and Reddish CLP
Barnaby Marder - Richmond Park CLP. Founder, Socialists Against Antisemitism
Gary Spedding - Tynemouth CLP
Kenny Love - Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
David Clarke - Bootle CLP
Sean Smyth, Bristol West CLP
Ed Poole - Enfield North CLP
Charlotte Faulkner - Sheffield Heeley CLP
Tania Shew - Holborn and St Pancras CLP
Daniel Vulkan - Hornsey and Wood Green CLP
Henry Mendoza - Tooting CLP
Michael A. Rowan - Islington North CLP
Darren Mansell - Bromsgrove CLP
Freddie Bailey - North Preston & Wyre
Ali Dogan - Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
Michael Shew - Holborn and St Pancras CLP
George Aylett - Hull North CLP
Patricia Neira - Tynemouth CLP
Hattie Mann-Peet - Holborn and St Pancras CLP
Gareth Anker Hamsptead and Kilburn CLP
Jacob Richardson - Haltemprice and Howden CLP
Christopher Whittaker - Nottingham South CLP
Mark Anderson - Almond Valley CLP
Morgan Paulett - Caerphilly CLP
Mike Hind - Labour International
Jennifer Thorburn - Brent North CLP
Jack Pearce - Stafford CLP
Steve Cooke - Stockton North CLP
Alison Whyte - Hackney North
Joe B - Norwich South CLP
Joel McKevitt - Blackpool North & Cleveleys CLP
Phil Jeffrey - Stockton South CLP
Connor Slomski - Newcastle Upon Tyne Central CLP
David Mazzocchi-Jones - Newcastle-under-Lyme CLP and former PPC for Staffordshire Moorlands
Matthew Green - Sheffield South East CLP
Ellie Mae O'Hagan - Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
Jon Narcross - Hackney South and Shoreditch CLP
Daniel Round - Hornsey and Wood Green CLP
Paul Hilder - Lewisham Deptford
Kate Evans - Wells CLP
Jack Duncan - Putney CLP
Kirsty Warren - Buckingham CLP
Peter McCulloch - Stockton North
James Dudley, Darlington CLP
Joseph Robinson - Bournemouth West CLP
Ross Patrick Clark. Melton and Rutland
Muzakir Ahmed- Ilford South CLP
Rose Francis, North Cardiff CLP
Lewis Michael Waddingham - Sheffield Brightside and Hillsborough CLP
Timothy Christian - Fylde CLP
Ewan Jobe - North Tyneside CLP
Emma Jones - Oxford West & Abingdon CLP
Jacqueline Gittens Norwich North CLP
Daniel Rayner - Carshalton & Wallington CLP
Barney Carroll - Reading East CLP
David Miles Islington South CLP
Ross Clark - Glasgow Kelvin CLP
Moshe Mankoff, Gateshead CLP
George Miller - Sleaford and North Hykeham CLP
Aled Iestyn Lewis - Runnymede and Weybridge CLP
Lynton North - Torridge & West Devon CLP
Charles Smith - York Outer CLP
Ann Pugh - Mitcham & Morden CLP
Julie Franklin Blackley and Broughton CLP
Nikola Stojsavljevic - Amersham & Chesham CLP
Aliy Faisal - Cambridge CLP
Harriet Hey - Selby and Ainsty CLP
Dion Saunders - Bristol East CLP
Adam Ageli - Blackpool South CLP
Harry McCarthy - Colne Valley CLP
Finchley and Golders Green CLP
Daniel Rayner - Carshalton & Wallington
Robin Arnold - Wolverhampton North East CLP
Daniel Nichols - Romford CLP
Syed Kirmani - Edinburgh Southern CLP
Lawrence Matthews - Manchester Central CLP
Sophie Stephenson - Midlothian CLP
Jaki Whyte - Colchester CLP
Nigel Spencer - Manchester Withington CLP
Nadia Whittome - Rushcliffe CLP
Thomas Kirkwood - Bradford South CLP
Theo Freedman - Bethnal Green and Bow CLP
Tim Phillips-White - Wyre Forest CLP
Phill brocklehurst -yeovil clp
Allan Callister - Salford and Eccles CLP
Adam Smith - Huntingdon CLP
Jamil Ismaili - Cardiff South and Penarth CLP
Martin Sellers - Stretford & Urmston CLP
Joy Coughlan - Cardiff North CLP
Fabian Newton-Edgar - Leeds North East CLP
Robert Broad - Portsmouth CLP
Chris Mears - Cardiff North CLP
Mick McAteer Hackney North and Stoke Newington CLP
Rebecca Fewtrell - York CLP
Stuart Nimmo - South Dorset CLP
Geraint James - Anniesland CLP
Neville Hutchinson - Canterbury CLP
Sandra Smith Warrington North CLP