Jewish leaders: EHRC report ‘proves why we were so distressed’
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Unrivaled coverage of the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s damning verdict throughout the day on Jewish News’ live blog.

By Jewish News Reporter October 29, 2020, 10:35 am Edit
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10:35 am

Jewish leaders: EHRC report ‘proves why we were so distressed’

Jewish communal reaction is already flooding in. In a joint statement between the Board of Deputies, the Jewish Leadership Council and the Community Security Trust, leaders take aim at the Islington MP directly, calling Corbyn “a figurehead for old and new anti-Jewish attitudes”.

Meanwhile the Campaign Against Antisemitism, whose complaint together with the Jewish Labour Movement prompted the EHRC investigation, declared: “The debate is over. Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, the Labour Party became institutionally antisemitic.” This kind of language should be expected today, after five years of pent up frustration.

Around 1,500 were estimated to have turned up to say no to anti-Semitism in Westminster

Marie van der Zyl, President of the Board, Jonathan Goldstein, Chair, of the JLC, and Mark Gardner, CEO of the CST – joint statement in full: 

“This report is a damning verdict on what Labour did to Jews under Jeremy Corbyn and his allies. It proves why British Jews were so distressed and it disgraces those who attacked us for speaking out against anti-Jewish racism.

“Our Jewish community never wanted this fight, but we had to defend ourselves and are proud to have done so. We thank all those who stood with us, despite the abuse they received as a result.

“Jeremy Corbyn will rightly be blamed for what he has done to Jews and Labour, but the truth is more disturbing, as he was little more than a figurehead for old and new anti-Jewish attitudes. All of this was enabled by those who deliberately turned a blind eye.

“Now, the task of cleaning out the problem lies with the current leadership. We welcome the start that Keir Starmer has made, but the scale of the challenge that lies ahead should not be underestimated.

“We will continue to give our support to all who work to drive racism out of our politics and out of our society.”