Union leader criticised for comparing Hilary Benn to Hitler
A board spokesperson hit out at the president of train drivers’ union's 'lazy, ignorant and offensive' comment
A union leader was being “lazy, ignorant and offensive” in likening a Labour MP to Hitler, Jewish representatives have said.
Tosh McDonald, the president of train drivers’ union ASLEF, compared support for military action against ISIS in Syria from Hilary Benn MP to Hitler and Mussolini’s support for military action against republicans in Spain in the 1930s.
McDonald, who is a fan of embattled Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, made the comments at a fringe meeting of the annual Trades Union Congress, but it spawned an angry reaction from Jewish leaders.
Board of Deputies’ vice-president Marie van der Zyl said: “Hitler comparisons like this are lazy, ignorant and offensive. But then, what can one expect from someone who says that Daesh (ISIS) – a totalitarian theocracy that crucifies Christians and sells women as sex slaves – is remotely comparable to the anti-fascists in the Spanish Civil War?”
She added: “It is time for Mr McDonald to engage with reality, and for people in public life to stop misusing Hitler references.”
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.
