In an exceptionally impassioned, moving piece, editor of Labour Briefing, Graham Bash describes what led to the suspension of Jackie Walker, of mixed heritage (Afro- Caribbean and Jewish), from the Labour Party. It was,
simply for telling the truth that her Jewish ancestors were involved in financing the Slave Trade, that the African holocaust was even worse than the Jewish holocaust, and that anti-Semitism is not a major problem in Corbyn’s Labour Party.
As a Jew and Labour Party member (48 years), he writes that he is ‘outraged at the way allegations of anti-Semitism have been used to silence legitimate criticism of Israel and undermine Jeremy Corbyn as my party’s leader.’
I know what anti-Semitism is. I was brought up to learn how the Jewish East End fought with the dockers against Mosley’s fascists at Cable Street. I was told at school how it was a pity that Hitler didn’t finish off the job of murdering all Jews. And very quickly I learned what it was like to be made to feel an outsider. It was hardly surprising that I started going on anti-fascist demos in my late teens and very soon afterwards joined the Labour Party, which I remain a member of to this day.
Bash believes he has ‘a sensitive ear for anti-Semitic comments:’ but, says that ‘without doubt,’ the place he has encountered it least is within the Labour Party:
In 48 years, I have encountered anti-Semitism once, perhaps twice, compared to countless episodes outside.
He writes with a mixture of sorrow, frustration and outrage, and it’s clear that this egregious injustice has only strengthened his commitment to political activism:
I am proud of the heritage and family traditions that helped my development on the road to being an anti-racist, international socialist. This current witchhunt will not deflect me, and countless thousands like me, from the struggle for justice worldwide and for a socialist Labour government led by Jeremy Corbyn.
The deep antipathy he has encountered is to ‘Israel, and its murderous actions to deny justice for Palestinians,’ but he is proud of that opposition:
that is what I would expect from a democratic anti-racist party – and these are views shared by me and many other peace loving socialist Jews.
Please e-mail your protest today to the General Secretary, Iain McNicol
[email protected]
and copy to Ann Black [email protected] (Chair of NEC Disputes Panel) and Jim Kennedy [email protected] (Chair of NEC Organisation
Committee).
I am writing to you in protest against the outrageous suspension of Jackie Walker from the Labour Party on spurious grounds of anti-Semitism. I call on you to reconsider this action and lift the suspension immediately’.
