104 Labour staffers demand ‘immediate review’ of Chris Williamson decision
search

The latest Jewish News

Read this week’s digital edition

Click Here

104 Labour staffers demand ‘immediate review’ of Chris Williamson decision

Signatories, which includes the vast majority of remaining Jewish party staff, say they have been 'made to feel unwelcome by his presence whilst at work'

Ex Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
Ex Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn

104 current Labour staffers have written to Labour General Secretary Jennie Formby to demand an immediate review of the decision to readmit Chris Williamson into the party, Jewish News can reveal.

Signatories, who wish to remain anonymous for fear of losing their employment, say they have been “made to feel unwelcome by [Williamson’s] presence whilst at work.”

In an unprecedented move, the letter is the first one written by Labour staff on antisemitism. Its authors, which include the vast majority of remaining Jewish party staff, affirm they “can stay silent no longer.”

“The decision to readmit Chris Williamson MP into the Party will help to
create an environment where Jewish and non-Jewish employees, who care deeply about fighting antisemitism, are made to feel unwelcome by his presence whilst at work,” the letter reads.

Featured in the letter is a 7-point list of actions taken by Williamson which suggest the decision to issue a formal warning was an inadequate response “for a party that claims to be anti-racist.”

They include Williamson’s campaign for the reinstatement of Labour activist Marc Wadsworth and the MP’s support for Gilad Atzmon, a musician accused of Shoah denial.

Read letter in full below:

Letter by 76 Labour staffers to Jennie Formby
Support your Jewish community. Support your Jewish News

Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.

For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.

Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.

You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.

100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...

Engaging

Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.

Celebrating

There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.

Pioneering

In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.

Campaigning

Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.

Easy access

In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.

Voice of our community to wider society

The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.

We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.

read more: