Jewish Pro-Palestinian Activist at UK Labour Conference Hails Corbyn, Claims No Antisemitism in Party
Far-left Jewish Voice for Labour member Vanessa Stilwell speaks at the UK Labour party’s annual conference, Sept. 23, 2019. Photo: YouTube screenshot.
A Jewish pro-Palestinian activist and member of the UK Labour party hailed leader Jeremy Corbyn at the party’s annual conference on Monday, claiming there is no antisemitism in the party.
Polls have shown that the overwhelming majority of British Jews view the far-left Corbyn as personally antisemitic. Since he took charge of the party in 2015, Labour has been beset by antisemitism scandals that have seen multiple members and officials suspended or expelled, and prompted an investigation by the country’s Equality and Human Rights Commission.
The Daily Mail reported that Vanessa Stilwell, a Jewish member of the party, did not see it this way, however.
A member of Jewish Voice for Labour, a fringe group that seeks to deflect accusations of antisemitism, she declared that she was “one of thousands of Jews in this party who have never experienced any antisemitism and who support Jeremy Corbyn as the most anti-racist leader this party has ever had.”
“I want to speak in support of our Palestinian brothers and sisters,” she said. “There are far too few in this party.”
Stilwell’s comments received a standing ovation from the assembled party activists, though the Mail reported that several did not join in, including shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer.
The EHRC’s inquiry is intended to find whether Labour “unlawfully discriminated against, harassed, or victimized people because they are Jewish.”
Should Labour reject the commission’s findings, it could be sanctioned legally and financially.