Labour Against the Witchhunt

Labour Against the Witchhunt (LAW) is a group formed in late 2017 to campaign against what it regards as politically motivated allegations of antisemitism in the UK Labour Party,[1] which it calls a “witchhunt”. It also campaigns against what it regards as unfair disciplinary action taken by the Labour Party against its members, particularly in relation to such allegations of antisemitism.[2] The group supports individual members facing disciplinary action and has called for changes to the party's disciplinary procedures and code of conduct.

Labour Against the Witchhunt
Formation1 October 2017 (2017-10-01)
HeadquartersBCM Box 8932, London WC1N 3XX
Location
  • London, United Kingdom
Chair
Jackie Walker
Secretary
Stan Keable
Vice Chair
Tony Greenstein
Websitewww.labouragainstthewitchhunt.org

LAW is led by former members of the party, and has campaigned through demonstrations, meetings and appeals to the Labour party leadership and members. It has attracted some criticism from MPs, the media and other organizations.

Formation and purpose

LAW was launched in late 2017 to challenge what they saw as unjustified suspensions and expulsions of Labour party members, particularly in relation to allegations of antisemitism.[2] They also call for disciplinary rules to be revised and for Labour's Compliance unit to be dissolved.[3] They believe that the Working Definition of Antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance has, as one objective, to conflate antisemitism with critiques of Zionism and Israel and that the controversy over allegations of antisemitism in the Labour Party is to a large extent a result of rivalry between its different wings.[4]

Officers and membership

LAW's secretary is Stan Keable, who was expelled from the Labour Party,[1][5] as were the vice-chair, Tony Greenstein and its chair, Jackie Walker.[2] Peter Firmin has also been linked to the group.[6]

Gerry Downing, with others, was excluded from LAW in January 2018 following comments he made about the role of Jews in society and other matters, which were described as antisemitic.[7]

In May 2019, they were reported to have approaching 400 members.[8] As of January 2020, their Facebook page had well over 3,000 'Likes' and followers

Sponsors

Sponsors of the group include Moshé Machover, Ken Loach, Noam Chomsky,[2] Alexei Sayle[9] and Ian Hodson, president of the Bakers Union.[10] Michael Mansfield, who was a supporter, said he joined to defend legitimate criticism of Israel. However, he withdrew after being presented with messages posted on social media on behalf of the group.[2] The group later said that the messages had been sent without their knowledge or approval.[11]

In April 2019, LAW announced that Ken Livingstone had become its honorary president.[12]

Activities

In January 2018 LAW mounted a demonstration outside the Labour Party head office in protest against what they felt were politically motivated allegations of antisemitism.[1] They also welcomed the appointment of Christine Shawcroft as chair of the Labour Party's Disputes Sub-Committee.[13]

In February 2018 the group backed Jennie Formby in her successful bid to become General Secretary of the Labour Party.[14]

In March 2018 they leafletted and mounted a counter demonstration against a demonstration outside Parliament organized by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the Jewish Leadership Council against alleged antisemitism in the Labour Party.[15][16][17]

In April 2018 they mounted a further demonstration, against the expulsion of Marc Wadsworth for his actions at the press conference for the report of the Chakrabarti Inquiry in antisemitism and racism in the Labour Party.[18] They also mounted a crowdfunding campaign, raising £16,000 for his ultimately unsuccessful defence, calling his expulsion outrageous.[19][20] Also in April, the group sent an open letter, with more than 2,500 signatures, to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, which blamed some allegations on a combination of supporters of Israel and Zionism with Labour right-wingers and a hostile media.[21]

In September 2018 they demonstrated against acceptance by the National Executive Committee of the full list of examples associated with the Working Definition of Antisemitism of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.[22] The organization organized a fringe meeting at the September 2018 Labour Party conference, where references were made to McCarthyism and Orwell's book ‘‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’’ in relation to the situation within the party.[23] At another fringe meeting, Greenstein told the audience that the motive behind the campaign against antisemitism was to attack the left and replace Corbyn as leader.[24] The group handed out Palestinian flags to delegates for waving in the conference hall.[25] In September and October 2018, the group called on Labour Party members not to cooperate with exercises by the Labour Party and the Jewish Labour Movement to obtain examples of antisemitic behaviour by members.[26]

In January 2019 the group condemned the deselection by the National Executive Committee of Rebecca Gorden-Nesbitt as parliamentary candidate for South Thanet over tweets relating to accusations of antisemitism.[27]

In February 2019 Jewish campaigners persuaded a church to decline to host the group's annual conference.[28]

In March 2019 the group called on party members to support Chris Williamson MP, suspended for saying that the party had been "too apologetic" in the face of criticism over the issue, by lobbying the party General Secretary, signing a petition or proposing a motion.[29] The group also held a rally the day before the Labour Party disciplinary hearing of Jackie Walker in support of her and Chris Williamson, at which she was expelled. Speakers included Walker, Ken Livingstone and Graham Bash, a leading member of Jewish Voice for Labour and editor of Labour Briefing.[30] The location of the meeting had to be changed after the Board of Deputies of British Jews persuaded the original venue to cancel the booking.[31] One of their members, John Davies, was alleged to be one of those seeking to deselect Louise Ellman MP, vice chair of Labour Friends of Israel.[32]

In May 2019 the group co-organised with the local Momentum branch a training session on antisemitism for Reading Labour Party members, addressed by the secretary of Jewish Voice for Labour. Local party officers said that the meeting had no official status.[33]

Critical reactions

LAW has been described as controversial by the Daily Telegraph and as far left by The Times,[34][35] while The Jewish Chronicle dismissed it as a fringe organisation.[36]

Andrew Percy MP, in a speech in the House of Commons, called the group's claim that the series of allegations of antisemitism was a witch hunt a "new smear" and asked MPs to "call out" the group,[37] while Wes Streeting MP called the group intimidating, when they demonstrated outside the disciplinary hearing for Marc Wadsworth.[38] The Jewish Labour Movement has said that the organisation, along with Jewish Voice for Labour, "ridicule and minimise the real lived experiences of victims of antisemitism”,[39] and Stephane Savary, a representative of Left Wing Zionists for Labour, has urged the party to expel the organization.[40] In February 2019, the Jewish Labour Movement called on the Labour Representation Committee not to work with the organisation or with JVL.[41]

Jackie Walker produced, co-wrote and appeared in a one-woman show The Lynching, which premiered in 2017, based partly on the events leading up to the formation of the group. Two documentary films on the subject have also been produced, The Political Lynching of Jackie Walker in 2018 and, in 2019, Witch Hunt. She was also featured in the documentary series, The Lobby, on lobbying by Israel in the UK.

gollark: Same principle.
gollark: Some offense, but I don't care much about a giant list of features on a gun.
gollark: Well, good, I guess?
gollark: Well, those sound like advanced and fancy features.
gollark: Sounds overpowered, pls nerf.

References
  1. "Labour 'witch-hunt' protest pushing 'fantasy conspiracy' over anti-Semitism – MP". Wirral Globe. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  2. Harper, Lee (3 October 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn-backing lawyer severs ties with group that calls Labour antisemitism 'witch hunt'". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  3. Heffer, Greg (3 April 2018). "Labour's anti-Semitism row: Who are all the different groups?". Sky News. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  4. "UK Labour party decides on anti-Semitism definition". France 24. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  5. Gulliver, John (30 August 2018). "No conciliation for Stan Keable". Camden New Journal. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  6. Harpin, Lee. "North London Labour Party loses nearly 20 per cent of members in a year". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 14 March 2019.
  7. Kentish, Benjamin (2 January 2018). "Group set up to protest against Labour's expulsion of members accused of antisemitism expels members for alleged antisemitism". The Independent. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  8. Roberts, Carla (2 May 2019). "Rothschild and irrationality". Labour Party Marxists. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  9. "Top QC withdraws support for 'witch-hunt' group over 'unacceptable' messages". Jewish News. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  10. "About us". Labour against the witch-hunt. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  11. "Top QC withdraws support for 'witch-hunt' group over 'unacceptable' messages". Jewish News. 3 October 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  12. "Ken Livingstone joins group that believes Labour antisemitism allegations are a smear campaign". The Jewish Chronicle. 14 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  13. Steerpike (22 January 2018). "Labour Against the Witchhunt welcome Corbynista's appointment as chair of Disputes Panel". The Spectator. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  14. "Why we cannot support Jon Lansman's Labour Party general secretary bid". Labour Against the Witch Hunt. 28 February 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  15. "Jeremy Corbyn told to act on 'stain' of anti-Semitism in party". BBC. 27 March 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  16. Brown, David; Maguire, Patrick (18 March 2018). "9/11 shame of counter-protester Gerry Downing". The Times. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  17. Wearmouth, Rachel (27 March 2018). "Jeremy Corbyn Told To 'Drain The Cesspit' Of Anti-Semitism Plaguing The Labour Party". HuffPost. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  18. Murphy, Joe (25 April 2018). "Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth escorted by Labour colleagues to anti-Semitism hearing". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  19. Tominey, Camilla (29 April 2018). "Police fears that 'Racism row will lead to Jo Cox-style killing' amid sick rape threats". Express. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  20. "Anti-racist campaigner's expulsion is 'a new low' for the party, Jewish activists say". Morning Star. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  21. Demianyk, Graeme (2 April 2018). "Pro-Corbyn Group Momentum Says Anti-Semitism Claims 'Cannot Be Dismissed As Simply Right-Wing Smears'". HuffPost. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  22. "Labour ruling body considers anti-Semitism row". ITV. 4 September 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  23. "Expelled activist tells JVL meeting that 'witchhunt' is plot to 'topple' Corbyn". Jewish News. 25 September 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  24. Smith, Mikey (24 September 2018). "Anti-Semitism crisis is a 'witch hunt' plot to 'topple Jeremy Corbyn', expelled activist tells Labour party conference". The Mirror. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  25. Harpin, Lee (25 September 2018). "Palestinian flags waved at Labour conference". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  26. "Email Campaign Archive". Labour Against the Witch-hunt. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  27. Sabin, Lamiat (15 January 2019). "Labour Against the Witchhunt backs reinstating Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt". Morning Star. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  28. Weich, Ben (5 February 2019). "Group that calls Labour antisemitism 'smears' loses conference venue after Jewish activists intervene". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  29. Sabbagh, Dan (1 March 2019). "Local Labour parties drawn into row over antisemitism claims". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 March 2019.
  30. "Jackie Walker threatens Labour with legal action after expulsion". Jewish News. 28 March 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  31. Weich, Ben (22 March 2019). "Methodists pull out of far-left talk after Board of Deputies intervention". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  32. Harpin, Lee (25 February 2019). "Plot to oust MP Ellman spearheaded by a former member of the Trotskyist Militant Tendency". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 13 April 2019.
  33. Harpin, Lee (16 May 2019). "Reading Labour Party distances itself from Jew-hate training event by activist behind antisemitic rant". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  34. Yorke, Harry (4 September 2018). "Scotland Yard to probe leaked Labour anti-Semitism dossier as party holds crunch talks". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  35. Zeffman, Henry (6 January 2018). "Splitters! Hard-left rivals are banned from using same pub". The Times. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  36. Ben (10 February 2019). "John McDonnell condemned for defending suspended Labour activist Jackie Walker". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  37. "MP tells HMD debate: 'Call out' claims of Labour anti-Semitism 'witch hunt'". Jewish News. 18 January 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2019.
  38. Murphy, Joe (25 April 2018). "Jewish MP Ruth Smeeth escorted by Labour colleagues to anti-Semitism hearing". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 8 February 2019.
  39. Frot, Mathilde (8 February 2019). "McDonnell told to 'stop double speak' on antisemitism or resign from committee". Jewish News. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
  40. Weich, Ben (2 February 2019). "Group that calls Labour antisemitism 'smears' loses conference venue after Jewish activists intervene". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  41. Frot, Mathilde (8 February 2019). "McDonnell told to 'stop double speak' on antisemitism or resign from committee". Jewish News. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
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