Dame Margaret Hodge: In last few weeks I’ve had more abuse than ever
Senior Jewish Labour MP tells JLM One Day Conference of unprecedented levels of hate she is sent, during session featuring former colleagues Ruth Smeeth and Louise Ellman
Labour grandee Margaret Hodge said she was receiving an unprecedented amount of abuse, despite the change in party leadership.
Speaking during the Jewish Labour Movement’s One Day Conference, held in partnership with Labour Friends of Israel, the MP for Barking said: “During these last couple of weeks, I’ve had more abuse than ever. It’s always much worse against women. (Louise and I) get abused because we are women, Jewish and are older. Those three things coming together get people going to us.
“It’s not just the abuse itself, it’s also the fake news. Over recent times, the moment I say anything a whole load of it goes onto social media. The abuse is still virulent and horrible, and it’s muddled with this fake news stuff.
“If you say something often enough, people begin to believe it as fact.”
The Labour grandee’s comments came during a session exploring the experiences of three female Jewish Labour MPs: Ruth Smeeth, Margaret Hodge and Louise Ellman.
Louise Ellman, the former MP for Liverpool Riverside who resigned from the party in October 2019, added:
“I found the last few years personally, as well as politically, absolutely devastating. I never dreamt I’d feel forced to leave the Labour Party after 55 years. I suffered from antisemitism locally in my CLP and was deeply affected by the antisemitism taking hold of my party nationally.
“I’ve always known about left wing antisemitism but it’s only in the last few years that I’ve experienced it in all its ugliness first-hand.”
Looking ahead, Hodge added: “We now have Keir Starmer who is showing huge strength, determination and bravery in taking on the argument on our behalf. And we’ve got to stand behind him and help him onwards.”
I found the last few years personally, as well as politically, absolutely devastating
Ruth Smeeth, who lost her parliamentary seat in 2019, concluded: “We stayed to fight with so many women in JLM to fix this. At that point it was us versus the Labour Party.
“Now it’s the Labour Party versus racism- or at least that’s what Keir Starmer has promised us.”
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.
