How anti-Semitic is Labour?
The British Labour Party is facing accusations of anti-Semitism. According to a report by the Sunday Times, social media groups close to Labour have repeatedly made anti-Semitic statements. Jewish groups have demonstrated in protest, and one of the opposition party's key donors has withdrawn his support. Commentators look at how prevalent anti-Semitic tendencies are in the Labour Party.
Labour must combat anti-Semitism in its ranks
Clearly there is an element of deep-seated anti-Semitism in the Labour Party, the daily paper taz fears:
“This is about anti-Semitism in its purest form: ramblings about powerful Jewish string-pullers, about denial of the Holocaust, all supposedly in the name of the fight against capitalism and the bid to distance the party from the mainstream. ... It's commendable that Corbyn and his apparatus are gradually beginning to challenge these tendencies. At the same time it's a disgrace that they are only doing so under pressure. Some Corbyn enthusiasts still downplay the anti-Semitism allegations as part of a campaign. ... To that one can only respond: it's a good thing such campaigns exist. Because if it hurts Corbyn to remove anti-Semitism from his periphery something is really wrong. Right-wing extremist ideologies have no place near any leftist worthy of the name.”
Moraliser in the pillory
Extremist US- and Israel-haters have Labour firmly under their control, The Daily Telegraph complains:
“It is evident that decent Labourites are appalled by what is happening and the damage it is doing to the party's efforts to project itself as an inclusive and tolerant movement. But they are trapped by their leader's dependence for support on hard Left activists whose geopolitical outlook is motivated predominantly by a hatred of America and Israel. For Labour's opponents, there is an element of schadenfreude in all of this, as a party that likes to lecture everyone else on human rights and racism finds itself pilloried for its shortcomings in both areas.”