Statement on Labour’s response to the Board of Deputies
This statement was sent to Jennie Formby and all members of the NEC on 21 July.
To all NEC members
Tom Watson, assisted by three Labour Councillors and Sir George Howarth MP, has launched a bid to surrender Labour’s independence on what has become the crucial issue of allegations of antisemitism.
Responding to a Board of Deputies of British Jews (BoD) letter of unparalleled effrontery, he proposes both to surrender control of Labour’s disciplinary processes to an outside body; and to permit summary expulsion from the Party on allegations of antisemitism without due process.
The BoD letter makes a string of demands that no independent Party should or could agree to, including:
* Give current and ex- LP staff members absolute freedom to speak publicly about their work for the Party
* ‘Representative’ Jewish bodies to be given regular detailed case updates without regard for individuals’ right to confidentiality
* The Party must outsource its disciplinary procedure to an independent provider.
Tom Watson’s proposal runs with the last of these but adds another. In his motion to the Party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Tuesday July 23, he asks it to commit to a rule change at the Party Conference in September. This rule change would legislate for summary expulsion from the Party – without full investigation or the right to a defence.
Recent months and years have seen repeated, indeed industrial scale, allegations of antisemitism against members of the Party. Many of these have been based not on prejudice, hostility or hatred towards Jews, but on comments made about Israel or Zionism. Members who quite legitimately question the authenticity of particular allegations or the scale of antisemitism within the Party have come to fear that they will be subject to disciplinary action.
As a result, debate on the rights of Palestinians has already been significantly curtailed within the Party. Members have become uncertain what they are allowed to say without being investigated and/or suspended. If Watson’s proposals are adopted, members who support Palestinian rights will then face the additional threat of summary expulsion. The consequences for freedom of expression would be horrendous.
To be clear:
* The Board of Deputies fails to be fully representative of the views of British Jews and cannot speak for all of them.
* Jewish Voice for Labour is the only group whose full members are all both Jewish and Labour members – and we say that these proposals if adopted would be disastrous not only for the Labour Party but for Jews in Britain.
* At a time when the Party should be uniting all communities against the rise of the far right, the fight against antisemitism and other forms of racism is being damaged by divisive proposals such as those put forward by Watson, which undermine due process, reverse progress made under Jennie Formby’s leadership and would outsource disciplinary processes.
Labour members must tell the NEC that they will not wear these outrageous proposals.
Fraternally,
Jewish Voice for Labour Officers
Thank you JVL THANK YOU. We are fighting for the TRUTH and JUSTICE for all and our COMRADES who have been VICTIMS of the media Witch Hunt and botched hatchet job gang from the traitorous right wing within our midst.
Another good response from JVL.
However, the Party meanwhile continues to add fuel to confusion with its guidlines “No Place For Antisemitism” that builds on the muddy gobbledygook of the IHRA ‘definition’ by indulging in forelock touching to confused and contradictory thinking about such core concepts as prejudice race, a ‘people’, ethnicity, religious belief, nationhood, self-determination etc. etc.
This sort of stuff undermines the clarity that is found in most articles here.
I am a member of Jewish Network for Palestine’s Steering Group and we would like to identify ourselves with your statement.
A very good letter, with which I agree.
Labour Member.
not really a comment but a question. how do Labour members make their feelings known to the NEC regarding the current proposals?
Through putting motions at their CLPs
Get Watson and the Israeli government proxy groups LFI and JLM responsible for the mendacious antisemitism smear campaign against the leadership of OUR LABOUR PARTY, OUT FOR BRINGING OUR PARTY INTO DISREPUTE.
The audacity of any group to suggest they can change the rules of a political party to suit their own agenda, is shocking. That the deputy leader of the Party would think it appropriate, plus add to the insult himself, is quite unforgivable. We now know that the extreme number of accusations of antisemitism are purely an attempt to bring down Jeremy Corbyn. We also know that there is a degree of AS, as there is anywhere. But, this must be stood up to,and saboteurs like Watson and Hodge et al, must be disciplined, and either back their party, or back a foreign government, and leave.
Perfectly said. I thank you!
This echoes my sentiments entirely. Supporting Palestinian rights should in no way be classed as antisemitism. It seems some can’t or don’t want to separate the two.
Watson needs to go and the BOD told to mind their own business
I do believe that the antisemitism row has been fuelled by the right wing of the party and as members we are yet to see the proof that it is rife within our party. I am in my seventies and have been a socialist as long as I can remember, my understanding of socialism is one of tolerance of all no matter what the colour of the skin and no matter the religion. this is how I as a socialist have led my life and find it incredible that most SOCIALISTs are not like minded. Show us the proof and please can we all remember that supposedly Mr Tom Watson is only the deputy leader so how come he has taken this upon his shoulders and who asked him to? SHOW US THE PROOF please and stop this attempt to destroy our amazing party because you do not agree with the leaders ambitions. When did the left wing of the party do this when Blair was leader? We are a democratic party and the right wing should remember this.
Thank you so much for being a voice of sanity and reason in these crazy times. How can anyone seriously be putting forward the idea of a kangaroo court – we are seeking to promote justice not destroy it. The Board of Deputies definitely does not speak for me – I really question the idea that any one group can be the voice for an entire people – I am an individual with thoughts of my own. The sort of things suggested by the BOD are much more likely to inflame racism than to quell it.
What is needed,we as members must demand a sit down with Tom Watson and another MP, who is demanding these rule changes and go through them with those MPs. We must demand open TV debate so the country can see that this is something that the right wing MP are doing to stop a left wing government. If these MPs have confidence in what they’re saying, why wouldn’t they want to debate this with labour party members
Thank you for standing up for a responsible attitude towards antisemitism and trying to curtail the Watson’s witch hunt of the membership and the leader for his own personal agenda
JVL, thank you so much for what you are doing. You are a voice of sanity and reason and clear thinking in what has become a muddy maelstrom of incorrectly conflated concepts, poor analysis and absent critical thinking.
This is disgraceful. I trust Jewish Voice for Labour.
A very good responce from the JVL and a commen sense one
We do need to unite and fight against the far right instead it seems that some within the PLP and others are he’ll bent on destroying the party at any cost for their own agenda
An excellent statement. Clear & well-expressed.
Thank you for speaking out against this hostile and destructive campaign!
I as a member is sick to death of Tom Watson and all this nonsense, over 20,000 members have signed a petition to get rid of this shit stirrer, so why isn’t he under investigation. and why has he not been expelled for bringing the party into disrepute. I suppose I will now be expelled for saying this, bur someone has to. It is so petty and not worthy of you. The members now hols d the balance of power in the Labour party and we will not give it up, so do your worst, there are at last 20,000 of us that are prepared for a fight. WE SHOULD BE FIGHTING THE TORIES NOT EACH OTHER. PEOPLE ARE LIVING IN POVERTY AND DYING ON THE STREETS IN THIS COUNTRY, TRY THINKING OF THEM INSTEAD OF YOURSELVES FOR A CHANGE.
Excellent and very fair comment. I think it may be helpful for disciplinary hearings to have one independent non partisan person co-opted. This would help increase the independence of the panel. Sadly, in all institutions some disciplinary panels are not as fair, non-partisan and independent as they should be. Chris Williamson’s experience prove this.
No to summary expulsion without due process. That must be a line in the sand for an inclusive political party dedicated to universal moral principles.
I recently joined JVL as a Solidarity member and fully endorse all the content in this statement submission.
There is a clear distinction between the rights of the Palestinian people, the criticism of the State of Israel and antisemitism. The proposals by Watson, the JLM and the BoD seek to blur the distinction and suppress legitimate criticism. This is unacceptable in a democratic Party
Tom Watson is acting with malign Intent and in a high handed deceitful manner.
He is a Wrong Totally Wrong!
Not In Our Name!
The proposals are outrageous. Labour wants to Government Departments to in source their activities under a Labour Government how ridiculous for it to consider outsourcing it’s disciplinary processes.
Watson should refrain from such individualistic moves which serve to undermine Ms Formby. In anycase, many members and supporters want him out.
Moreover, to such such a disciplinary process for Anti-Semiticm is positive discrimination. …..that IS NOT LEGAL and neither is expel now and ask questions later. All of these proposals are out of step with Equalities Legislation and the notion of Innocent Until Proven Guilty which is at the heart of our Judical processes in this country.
There is no justification for these proposals. If there is racism in the Labour Party it is more likely to effect Muslims or Black members given that those communities face greater discrimination in society at large.
If there is racism in the Labour Party then how come we have so many Jewish MPs ?
If we have racism in the Labour Party it is reflected by the existence and anomaly of the LFI which supports an apartheid state.
A most excellent response which I fully support.
The law in this country states that when accused of any crime one is believed to be innocent until proven guilty. Why then Is there a shift in this ruling when it comes to accusations of antisemitism.
Great to hear from JVL.
I stand with you
THANK YOU FOR YOUR REASONED RESPONSE!
All best wishes!
thank you for this information, and for your support of freedom to be critical.
Liberal capitalists have good reason to fear a left wing government. It would threaten what they are most happy with – inequality of taxation, a wide wealth gap, the arms economy, privatisation, the demise of the welfare state, the immiserisation of the third world, environmental degradation. They do not defend their position on these, but instead they concoct accusations of antisemitism to discredit the left. This is totally despicable. Why should the Jewish people unwittingly be used in defence of the ills of capitalism? Furthermore, It confuses the real issue, getting in the way of serious debate about the actual antisemitism that still exists.
You guys are great, thank you for your work.
As a member of the Labour Party I could never condone these proposals! Watson has a screw loose that he thinks this will ever happen.
I joined the JVL group as a non Jewish person to support it and I thank you so much for your support to the party.
I am in many Facebook Labour and Corbyn supporting groups and can honestly say, hand on heart I have never seen any antisemitism whatsoever in any of them and it amounts to thousands of people the memberships put together.
They would be drummed out if they so much as whispered any AS!
Thanks again JVL for your continued support of JC and the party! But what can we do as members, my CLP and my MP are a Blairite mob?
Thank you for your integrity and clarity
It is not just the Party as an institution which is under unreasonable attack but also members as individuals.
There are lists and maps circulating containing names and other information accusing individual members of AS based on nothing more than subjective self defined opinion which puts the safety of those members at risk. Some so called comrades/fellow members with their own cult factions even join in with this lynch mob rule approach by revealing on social media how they find petitions from elected Labour Councillors in support of the leadership a useful list for “future reference.”
Let’s not be in any doubt, going down the road of automatic expulsion on the basis of a subjective accusation is not just undermining due process in the Labour Party. It undermines the very principle of due process.
It will send a clear message to the electorate that the Labour Party cannot be trusted to protect the due process standards and principles of objective evidence on behalf of the population.
Members have not just a responsibility to collectively protect themselves from this lynch mob they have a wider social duty to protect the principles of the rule of law and due process.
It is reasonable to suggest that members collectively , rather than individually, take whatever class actions necessary against any and all those responsible regardless of how many pips those responsible (both inside and outside the Party) have on their shoulders.
I agree with this letter
Excellent letter! The adoption of the IHRA working definition has been a huge mistake, which has simply encouraged right-wing Jewish groups and others to muzzle too many Labour Party members who are concerned about Palestinian Human Rights which seem endlessly abused by the Israeli Govt. I find it really upsetting.
“Jewish Voice for Labour is the only group whose full members are all both Jewish and Labour members”
This boast would carry more weight if you put some numbers behind it. How many full members are there in JVL? I count around 15-20.
JVL’s continued refusal to condemn a single instance of antisemitism in Labour even after Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly acknowledged that it exists remains shocking to me.
As Jeremy Corbyn announces that most British Jews have some affinity for Israel and that Labour is a Party for both Zionists and anti-Zionists, I would like to know how many of the members of Jewish Voice for Labour self-identify as Zionists? My impression is that the answer is zero, making you, by Jeremy’s own estimation, entirely unrepresentative of either British Jews or Labour. Thoughts?
I totally agree with JVL, the interference in the party from BoD is disgusting, but worse is the party deputy leader fawning and grovelling to them. We are a political party not a religious one, we have the brilliant Jennie Formby dealing expediently and fairly with any complaints. I believe their agenda is to prevent Labour recognising
Palestine and remove Jeremy Corbyn from his position, so as to further that agenda, but its tough. We have the leader we want and we will officially recognise Palestine when in government, and will continue to call out the Israeli government for the apartheid state that it is!!!
As long as the so called explanatory clauses of the basic IHRA definition of Anti-Semitism are accepted by the Labour Party there can be no end to their manipulation by those who wish to conflate justifiable criticism of Israel as being rampant Anti-Semitism.
Tom Watson, as he left the NEC meeting which approved this, said that no efforts would be made to do this and he has never ceased to support all attempts to make sure that opponents of the Israeli State, a self declared Apartheid State by its adoption of the Nation State Law, would be judged by this conflationary objective designed to ban free speech on this long running sore in international relations.
Gideon Levy has recently given a passionate speech analysing the impossibility of the achievement of a Two State Solution which is still pushed at every opportunity by those who are in the Labour Friends of Israel group. Levy explains cogently why this aim is still offered up as a sign of good will on behalf of the Netanyahu Government. There is no good will here it is, as Levy points out, just a means of delaying for ever the attempts of others to prevent this Rogue State’s objective of its continued ethnic cleansing by its policy of the ten year old plus Blockade of Gaza, the continued settlement programme in the Occupied West Bank and the continued removal of Palestinian homes in occupied East Jerusalem. The latter has been highlighted this week by the destruction of houses which have existed for at least decades before the Israelis constructed one of their protective walls. The National garden of Remembrance is the latest excuse for early morning removal of inhabitants prior to the destruction of their homes.
How Labour can be happy to be associated with this is unbelievable and that it uses the Jewish UK Community as its battleground is beyond belief. There is much to be done and retaining the IHRA definition itself is no problem but we can only make progress if we drop the rest of the information associated with it and use an appropriate definition which correctly highlights that AS is hate based behaviour against the Jewish Community based solely on the fact that they are Jews.
I am a Labour member and fully support this response. As always it is sensible and explains the points very clearly. Thank you
I strongly object to these proposals.They fly in the face of the basic values of justice ,democracy and the protection of privacy and data.Not in my name.
More muck stirring? No one has the right to change the Labour Party without the consensus of the 5000.000+ members. Those who think they are in the wrong party have a perfect right to leave it, choose or create another more to their liking and philosophy. We have an excellent leader, consistent and honest an excellent manifesto made democraticly by the membership and nothing we want to change here. Perhaps we just need those who are unsettled in this party to join or create one more to their liking.
Is Tom Watson accepting bribes from the Conservative Party now aswell as from The Jewish Chronical?
The racism ridden Tory party must be laughing all the way to the polling booths at the divisions being created in our party by Zionists like Watson.
The Labour leadership need to be strong in the face of this Tel Aviv driven aggression and support members who attempt to keep the plight of the Palestinian people at the fore, instead of punishing them.
The Labour party should be the party that cares for ALL of the Jewish people and not just a select few who have an anti-Palestine agenda.
There is no way that I as a democrat will support a motion to summarily expel persons facing allegations of anti- Semitism without such allegations being subject to a full investigative process. Given what happened during Iain McNichol’s tenure in office I would also be concerned that this process could be used to provide a means of selectively targeting the membership to reduce the numbers supporting Jeremy Corbyn.
Wow, I also knew Watson was turd, but to try and undermine dues process is unexceptionable and beggar’s belief… His inflated ego of his own self importance , is on a parr with Chukka , who to his credit left the Party .. Watson harassment of a very sick woman , in his own interests , trying to undermine her , and Corbyn at every turn, speaks volumes about him, not forgetting the money he has taken from The Israeli Group and Mosley.. This leads us to ask ‘ Is he fit to be Deputy Leader of our Socialist Labour Party’…. and the answer is no.. not at all.. He needs to resign, or we the members have to look at what way we can get his expelled from the High Office we voted him into …… He has proved beyond doubt , that he cannot be trusted to conduct himself in the manner in which is exceptable to the Labour Party as a whole … Watson must go
The BoD does not speak for me. Your statement echoes my sentiments.
The proper definition of antisemitism is “hatred of Jews as Jews” Nothing vague about Israel/Palestine/Zionism; just five simple words.
There’s a comment by Mike Scot prompted by JVL’s well-stated rebuttal of T Watson&Board of Deputies’ proposals to summarily expel members With No Right of Appeal. Mr Scot points out that currently there is No such Right of Appeal in the Chakrabarti procedures. This omission is a Serious Flaw and needs addressing!
To Mr. Sevitt, I say this: the JVL has never claimed to represent all UK Jews, unlike the BoD and the JLC. We are quite happy for you to have and to advertise your own point of view, on condition you extend the same courtesy to us.
We are the descendants of another strand of Jewry, the one of the Bund and of the workers in the sweatshops of the East End and elsewhere, not their Jewish employers.
There is one point in the JVL letter I would take issue with: the BoD doesn’t just “fail to be fully representative of the views of British Jews”, it only represents about 20% at most. We need to say clearly and continuously that
the BoD is unrepresentative and undemocratically elected (two votes for some men, no votes for some women) and that the JLC is group of Tory businessmen who happen to be Jewish and whose last Chair is now Chief Executive of the Tory Party.
These people have no right to be laying down the law to a Labour Party that most of them have never been members of.
Magnificent statement.
I agree wholeheartedly with this excellent letter. I would like to see a proposal to conference for there to be an election for the Deputy leader so that Watson can put his popularity to the test with the membership. As for the BoD, I saw that they warmly welcomed Boris Johnson’s victory and looked forward to a continued good relationship. Why do they think they can interfere with our Party? Outrageous.
To Mr. Scott the very name “Jewish Voice for Labour” suggests that the group seeks to brand itself as the Jewish voice.
I have no problem extending every courtesy to you and I have great respect for the traditions you lay claim to.
I couldn’t care less about the BoD or the JLC, but the BoD’s claim that it represents the widest selection of Jewish communities and organizations is undeniably true, no? I get that some of the people here claim that it doesn’t represent them, but I would suggest that if any of them are paid members of synagogues to ensure (god forbid) their burial rights then the BoD probably does represent them whether they like it or not.
I am certainly sensitive to the hinky version of democracy that the BoD affects, but coming from an entirely unelected group, that feels like a silly complaint, no?
The Bund is a fascinating reference point for JVL and I am ken to understand whether you brought it speaking just for yourself or as part of JVL policy.
The Bund, of course, opposed the creation of the State of Israel and then once that was a done deal the Bund passed motions “that the affairs of Jewish community in Israel should be subordinate to the affairs of the world Jewry” and that “Yiddish should be taught at all education institutions and would get all rights in public life”. I wonder if anyone in JVL still supports these antiquated ideas.
I look forward to JVL responding to Jeremy Corbyn’s assertion that “Labour is a Party for both Zionists and anti-Zionists”. Given that this relegates JVL, an exclusively anti-Zionist group, to a minority within a minority, I’m wondering if there is any point continuing as an independent group.
I’m not Jewish I’m not Palestinian I am an Internationalist and as such I urge the NEC to be cautious, astute, diplomatic, resolute but above all democratic when airing these delicate matters. I for one as a member of the Labour Party urge the NEC to dismiss these outrageous proposals.
Thank you thank you for speaking out. I wholy agree with your statement.
We need due process for all and an end to unjustifiable allegations.
Without wishing to get involved in a pointless tit-for-tat with Mr. Sevitt, can I just observe that he has failed to respond to the issues I raised and instead makes a whole series of irrelevant points in an unsuccessful bid to distract our attention from this.
The JVL is is not the Bund, but we are proud to be their descendants and have our own modern battles to fight. However, we continue to hold by the principle that we are “always with the oppressed, never with the oppressor” and look forward to Mr. Sevitt signalling his agreement with this stance.
The ludicrous hunt for closet antisemites in the Labour Party is simply distracting us – and him – from the fight against real and obvious antisemites elsewhere. We’re Jewish, Mr. Sevitt, don’t you think we know what antisemites look like?
Quite right JVL – the Jewish voice of common sense in the Labour Party. Watson’s role needs no comment – his hostile motives as Deputy Leader are entirely transparent – he needs to go. We know that there has been a concerted attempt to undermine and degrade the Compliance function by the very people (or at least their proxies) who are now putting forward these absurd ideas – Margaret Hodge for example putting forward no less than 200 complaints. The purpose is to continue the strategy of trying to derail the Corbyn McDonnell project by targeting those who support it. The BoD’s breathtaking arrogance is only exceeded by its stupidity in thinking they are taken seriously.
This must NOT be allowed to happen
We as a movement /party cannot allow the Bod and twatson to hijack jennie Formby and her hard working staff, I as a member of labour party and momentum have full confidence in jennie over the hard right of Bod and twatson.
Thank you for your very informative statement/letter about these very highly concerning attempts to ride roughshod over the rights and freedoms of members of the LP including the pursuit of an agenda that is highly destructive and divisive. Something is clearly very wrong in British politics and the harm is already being seen across society and at many levels. That people like Tom Watson are fanning the flames by inciting more division and persecution only makes things worse. He needs to be focusing on helping Labour to win an election under JC’s leadership; instead he’s strengthening the likes of the Conservatives and, more worrying still, Boris Johnson – the nasty, racist party.
Watson can go to hell.
Watson MUST BE GOT RID OF HES DONE NOTHING BUT TRY TO UNDERMINE CORBYN FROM THE DAY HE WAS ELECTED LEADER THAT’S HIS TRUE AGENDA WHY BECAUSE HE DOES NOT WANT a left wing government
All types of prejudice should be treated in the same way by the party, thank you for bringing this issue to the fore and making clear your stance on this matter.
We must resist all foreign interference in UK democracy including the US. Russia and Israel
I have been asking Mr Watson what his game is for months .
No response to 3 contacts tells us all we need to know .
Tom Watson must go.
In my opinion the allegations that we hear about antisemitism from the unelected board of deputies, are not based on prejudice, hostility or hatred but because of comments on Israel, Zionism or Palestinian rights. If you have an opinion you run the threat of expulsion. How can that ever be allowed, and how did we get to be like that. We live in a democracy and we have opinions.!
This is appalling – the notion that party lead by a life long anti racist cannot be trusted to deal with complaints of Antiracism/ Antisemitism is insulting.
This is nothing more nor less than a campaign by the right wing(Blairite) party members who equate support for Palestinian rights with Antisemitism!
GET OUT OF POLITICS ( Funny don’t remember witch-hunts like this when the TORIES were up for elections .
Absolutely agree. The Board of Deputies has way overstepped the mark with these ridiculous demands.
At last the voice of reason.
Completely unacceptable to contract out any aspect of our complaints procedure. It suggests that we have no confidence in these beside being plain wrong. They are our rules and we must process them. Giving full access to the EHRC is fine or any similar statutory body.
It is essential that anyone who is accused has the right of reply and then of fair judgement of any case against them including the right to appeal before expulsion is even considered.. I even worry about suspending members while investigations are carried out as this might be triggered in order to distract those accused from a particular course of action or result in cases being prejudged before proper investigation and judgement.
The BOD should be treated in the same as any other body representing a religious faith – courteously and without allowing undue negative publicity from or about them.
The law requires that a persons identity is protected in the case of internal disputes and this goes two ways. Hence the need for non disclosure agreements. These can be disputed in the Courts and overturned by them only in the case of an extreme matter of public interest.
This must not go through. It surely breaches rights and data protection of individuals and is anti-free speech as well as stifling debate and ultimately being destructive towards the Labour Party membership. To allow this to go through would mean any accusations whether true or FALSE, would lead to members being expelled, this is utterly unacceptable.
This is absolutely disgusting and Tom Watson deserves to be thrown out of the Labour party. If you look at these ‘rules’ anyone (such as me) who criticise the Israeli government for their treatment of Palestinians could be excluded. I am NOT anti-semitic or racist and will not be classed as such. I trust the Labour party to investigate any accusations and I totally disagree with appointing anyone outside the party and totally disagree with the whole of this statement!
Watson has already tried to take control of complaints once, this totally undemocratic step must be opposed.