Trotskyist sympathiser Ken Loach was recently expelled from the Labour Party. Loach has a long history of antisemitism: directing in 1987 the antisemitic play Perdition, which accused Zionists of collaborating with the Nazis; in 2018 calling for the deselection of MPs who attended the Enough is Enough protest against antisemitism; refusing to condemn Holocaust Denial.
20 Labour MPs and 5 Labour House of Lords members have signed a letter calling for Ken Loach’s reinstatement to the Labour Party (Corbyn is not permitted to take the Labour Whip; Webbe is suspended pending a trial).
Let’s take a look at their own history of antisemitism and/or demonisation of Israel ….
| History of Antisemitism Or Support for Antisemites Or anti-Israel? | Signed Uighur Letter? | Signed Vaccine Libel EDM? | Signed to Restore Whip to Corbyn? | Muslim proportion in constituency (%) | |
| Diane Abbott | Y | N | N | Y | 11.2 |
| Tahir Ali | Y | Y | N | Y | 43.5 |
| Apsana Begum | Y | Y | Y | Y | 33.6 |
| Christine Blower | Y | N | na | Y | Lords |
| Pauline Bryan | Y | N | na | Y | Lords |
| Richard Burgon | Y | N | Y | Y | 10.6 |
| Ian Byrne | Y | Y | N | Y | 0.9 |
| Jeremy Corbyn | Y | N | Y | na | 9.0 |
| Bryn Davies | N | N | na | N | Lords |
| Mary Kelly Foy | Y | N | N | Y | 1.0 |
| John Hendy | Y | N | na | Y | Lords |
| Ian Lavery | Y | N | Y | Y | 0.3 |
| Clive Lewis | Y | Y | N | Y | 2.0 |
| Rebecca Long-Bailey | Y | N | N | Y | 3.9 |
| Ian Mearns | Y | N | N | Y | 1.8 |
| John McDonnell | Y | N | Y | Y | 16.6 |
| Grahame Morris | Y | N | Y | Y | 0.3 |
| Kate Osborne | Y | Y | Y | Y | 1.4 |
| Bell Ribeiro-Addy | Y | N | Y | Y | 5.7 |
| Jon Trickett | Y | N | N | Y | 4.1 |
| Prem Sikka | N | Predated Lords m’ship | na | N | Lords |
| Zarah Sultana | Y | N | Y | N | 7.4 |
| Claudia Webbe Ind | Y | N | Y | Y | 15.2 |
| Mick Whitley | Y | N | Y | Y | 1.0 |
| Beth Winter | Y | N | Y | Y | 1.0 |
| Great Britain | 4.5 |
All but 2 of the 25 have a history of antisemitism or support for antisemites or of endorsing demonising lies about Israel. All but 3 signed a letter demanding restoration of the Whip to Corbyn.
Only 5 signed Siobhain McDonagh’s letter to the Chinese Ambassador protesting at the persecution of the Uighur – it wasn’t about Israel so they didn’t care.
More than half the MPs (12) signed Nadia Whittome’s EDM wrongly suggesting tht Israel has an obligation to vaccinate Palestinians living in the disputed areas.
It’s hardly surprising that Labour’s antisemitism-mongers should flock to support one of their own. But it underlines that Labour’s cleanup is very much ‘work in progress’. The vast majority of Jewish voters will still be unwilling to give Labour their support. Now let’s see Keir Starmer withdraw the Whip from them!
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We Are The 99% of Jews ............ 