Labour councillor claims Joan Ryan bribed by ‘Israeli lobby’
search

The latest Jewish News

Read this week’s digital edition

Click Here

Labour councillor claims Joan Ryan bribed by ‘Israeli lobby’

EXCLUSIVE: Activists have called for the expulsion of Lewisham Labour councillor Carl Handley over his recent social media activity.

Activists have called for the expulsion of a Labour councillor in Lewisham after he shared a Facebook post suggesting former Labour MP Joan Ryan, now a member of the Independent Group, was bribed by the “Israeli lobby.”

Councillor Carl Handley shared an allegedly antisemitic meme on Facebook about the former Labour MP Joan Ryan, who defected last week to the Independent Group of MPs over antisemitism. 

The post read: “My name is Joan Ryan MP. In 2007, I claimed £173,691 in expenses, the highest amount for any MP.

“Ten years later, I am now wh**ing myself to the Israeli lobby and managing £1 million propaganda budget, courtesy of the Israeli embassy”.

The original caption read: “Sooner They All F*** off The Better”.

Euan Philipps, spokesperson for Labour Against Antisemitism said: ‘The image apparently posted by Councillor Handley is blatantly antisemitic.

“If he is responsible he needs to have the whip withdrawn and face immediate suspension and then expulsion from the Labour Party.

“This is not the only recent example of an antisemitic incident involving Lewisham Deptford Labour Party.

“We therefore once again demand that they be placed in special measures until this toxic culture of anti-Jewish racism is fully addressed.’

In a statement to Jewish News, Cllr Handley said: “I apologise unreservedly for having shared the post, which does not reflect my views at all.

“I thought it was a post about Joan Ryan leaving the Labour Party and carelessly shared it without reading the nasty language employed, or the antisemitic tropes within the post.

“I sincerely apologise to the Jewish community for having shared this hurtful image, which was unacceptable.””

A Lewisham Labour spokesperson said: “Lewisham Labour stands with the Jewish community and against all forms of antisemitism.

“The post Cllr Handley shared is distressing and unacceptable. He has been reported to the Chief Whip and this case will now go through our disciplinary procedures.

“Yesterday, Lewisham Council adopted the full IHRA definition and examples of antisemitism after Lewisham Labour councillors proposed and unanimously voted to adopt it.”

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: