Sunday, April 08, 2018

Labour really does have a problem with anti-Semitism


If you doubt the Labour Party has a problem with anti-Semitism, take a look at the motion debated by its Bristol West constituency party this week. (It was defeated by 108 votes to 84.)

It includes these words:
when people see inequality, ecological disaster and war alongside the accumulation of unprecedented wealth, in the private hands of a few, it is reasonable that they seek out explanations.
Given that this motion was condemning the constituency's Labour MP Thangam Debbonaire for joining a demonstration against anti-Semitism in the party, there is only one construction I  can put on them.

It is saying that it is understandable if people attribute the bad things in the world to a Jewish conspiracy.

True the motion also says racism is "completely unacceptable", so the proposers must be believe such theories are mistaken, but what is this idea doing in the motion in the first place?

I conclude that the Labour Party really does have a problem with anti-Semitism.

And to those who say the right has much more of a problem with it, I am not sure that is any longer true.

Everything I see from the far-right these days is obsessed with Islam. I do not see Jews and Jewish conspiracies mentioned at all.

1 comment:

Phil Beesley said...

"I conclude that the Labour Party really does have a problem with anti-Semitism."

It is about anti-Semitism and about tribalism. Old Labour -- understand Old Labour in many ways -- came from European culture; politicians -- some former Communists -- had seen the anti-semitism of Nazi Germany and Russia. They opposed anti-semitism instinctively.

Momentum portrays itself as an organisation without history. Some Momentum members can't see anything anti-Semitic about "cartoons" of Jews with big noses holding wads of money. Momentum doesn't feel that gut anti-Semitism -- because Momentum is a tribe.