Sheffield students cancel Chris Williamson event amid police probe into party
Community representatives accused the group of 'ignoring the concerns of Jewish students' after the controversial politician was asked
Sheffield Labour Students has cancelled an event it was due to host with controversial MP Chris Williamson, citing the new criminal investigation into antisemitism in the party.
Jewish representatives had earlier said the student group was “ignoring the concerns of Jewish students” on campus by inviting Williamson to speak, alongside Steven Bell from Stop the War.
In August, Jewish leaders called for Labour to take action against the MP for Derby North after he said antisemitism claims were “a dirty lowdown trick” used for “political ends”.
He had been due to speak at a talk titled ‘Why we need an anti-war Government,’ but in a statement posted to Twitter on Thursday, Sheffield Labour Students (SLS) said it had voted to postpone the event “indefinitely… until the current Scotland Yard police investigation into allegations of antisemitism has been resolved”.
They added: “Although Chris Williamson MP is not personally implicated by these allegations, SLS believes that due to the nature of the investigation calling into question the efficiency of the disciplinary procedures within the Party, and the current climate within the wider movement, we do not feel that the event should take place at this moment in time.”
The Union of Jewish Students (UJS) had earlier said it was “deeply concerned that SLS has decided to ignore the concerns of Jewish students on campus,” adding that Williamson “has repeatedly attacked Jewish communal organisations for calling out antisemitism and shared platforms with those expelled from the Labour Party over antisemitism”.
A UJS spokeswoman said the decision to invite Williamson “shows a total disregard to the legitimate concerns that the Jewish community have raised over antisemitism in the Labour Party” and “sends a strong message that antisemitism, and those that deny it, will be tolerated in a movement which claims to be anti-racist”.
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.
