Antisemitism in Local Authorities

Newport City Council

International Definition of Antisemitism

The Council does not appear to have adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The Council said that the Definition was adopted on 18th July 2018.

As part of its response, the Council provided its Strategic Equality Plan 2017-2018 and minutes of a Cabinet meeting on 18th July 2018, which show that the Definition was adopted.

There was no reference to the examples in its Strategic Equality Plan 2017-2018, minutes, accompanying report or Freedom of Information response and therefore we could not assess with certainty whether the Definition was adopted in full.

Campaign Against Antisemitism considers the examples to be integral to the Definition, without which an adoption is not complete. In a statement on 7th August 2018, the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance reiterated the integrality of the examples to the Definition.

There is no reference in the Council’s most recent Strategic Equality Plan 2020-2024 to the International Definition of Antisemitism.

The Council has told Campaign Against Antisemitism: “The latest annual report of the Strategic Equality Plan references the continued recognition of Holocaust Memorial Day across the City.”

We could not assess with certainty whether the Definition remained adopted.

This information was obtained after Campaign Against Antisemitism submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on 24th August 2021, to which the Council responded on 21st September 2021. On 10th August 2022, the Council updated its response.

Incidents

The following are recent incidents relating to the Council’s officials or councillors that have been reported to us, however we recognise that antisemitism is chronically underreported and it is possible that there are incidents that have not been reported. To report an incident, please contact us.

Labour Councillor Miqdad Al-Nuaimi, who was suspended by the Labour Party in 2017 after allegedly comparing Israel to Nazi Germany, was reportedly reinstated by the party.