• Shopping Cart Shopping Cart
    0Shopping Cart
Campaign Against Antisemitism
  • Link to X
  • Link to Tiktok
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Youtube
  • Link to LinkedIn
  • Link to Mail
  • ANTISEMITISM
    • Definition of Antisemitism
    • Recognising Antisemitism
    • The Law of Antisemitism
    • Resources for Teachers
  • RESEARCH
    • Prevalence of Antisemitism
    • Antisemitic Crime Levels
    • Prosecutions for Antisemitism
    • Effects on British Jews
    • Antisemitism in Political Parties
    • EHRC
    • Antisemitism in Universities
    • Antisemitism in Local Authorities
  • NEWS
    • Latest News
    • Media Centre
  • PODCAST
  • ABOUT US
    • Our Work
    • Spokespeople
  • HELP US
    • Subscribe
    • Volunteer with us
    • Intern with us
    • Work with us
    • Become a Student Ambassador
    • Donate
  • CONTACT
    • General Enquiries
    • Media Enquiries
    • Licensing
  • Click to open the search input field Click to open the search input field Search
  • Menu Menu
Politics, United Kingdom UK-only e-mail list (not for international stories), Website

It’s not easy to keep track of what the Labour Party and Momentum say constitutes antisemitism

Campaign Against Antisemitism tries to keep track of what each political party defines as antisemitism. Whilst most mainstream parties now use the International Definition of Antisemitism, the Labour Party’s stance has become increasing convoluted.

Following the Government’s lead, in December 2016, the Labour Party stated that it had adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism. A number of reports suggest that it was accepted in full by Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC). For example, NEC member Alice Perry wrote in a report for LabourList in December 2016 that the NEC adopted the definition, and a leaked letter signed by the Labour Party’s former General Secretary corroborates her report. However, at a meeting between Jeremy Corbyn, Jennie Formby and the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council on 24th April 2018, it was reported that Mr Corbyn and Ms Formby refused to state that the Labour Party continued to accept the whole of the definition, suggesting that they no longer consider themselves bound by the ‘examples’ which serve to illustrate the definition’s intended meaning. However, the Labour Party has not since clarified its position.

The situation was muddied further when Mr Corbyn wrote to the two Jewish charities on 26th March stating: “Comparing Israel or the actions of Israeli governments to the Nazis, attributing criticisms of Israel to Jewish characteristics or to Jewish people in general and using abusive phraseology about supporters of Israel such as ‘Zio’ all constitute aspects of contemporary antisemitism. And Jewish people must not be held responsible or accountable for the actions of the Israeli government.” Some of the language appears to be drawn straight from the examples within the definition that Mr Corbyn had refused to stand by.

Then, on 24th April, in an article published in the Evening Standard, Mr Corbyn wrote: “Labour staff have seen examples of Holocaust denial, crude stereotypes of Jewish bankers, conspiracy theories blaming 9/11 on Israel, and even one member who appeared to believe that Hitler had been misunderstood…So let me be clear. People holding those views have no place in the Labour Party.” He also stated that “…when criticism of or opposition to the Israeli government uses antisemitic ideas – attributing its injustices to Jewish identity, demanding that Jews in Britain or elsewhere answer for its conduct, or comparing Israel to the Nazis – then a line must be drawn.” He also recognised that “…there are people who have come to see capitalism and imperialism as the product of conspiracy by a small shadowy elite rather than a political, economic, legal and social system. That is only a step from hoary myths about ‘Jewish bankers’ and ‘sinister global forces’.” Finally, he called out Labour Party members (including himself) who have dismissed Jewish concerns as smears, stating: “When members of Jewish communities express genuine anxieties we must recognise them as we would those of any other community. Their concerns are not ‘smears’.” Again, much of what he wrote is a regurgitation of the examples within the definition that he had refused to stand by.

Meanwhile, Momentum, headed by NEC member Jon Lansman, supports Mr Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party and requires in its constitution that its members must also be Labour Party members. On 2nd April, it issued a statement that: “accusations of antisemitism should not and cannot be dismissed simply as right-wing smears nor as the result of conspiracies.” However Mr Lansman has done just that, accusing Campaign Against Antisemitism of orchestrating a conspiracy to overstate the problem of antisemitism in the Labour Party.

It should not be so hard to know what the Labour Party and Momentum consider to be antisemitism. They should be clear on whether they adopt the whole of the International Definition of Antisemitism, and if they do not, they should explain that too.

Related

      
07/05/2018
Search Search
  • Major report reveals that Iran has targeted “prominent Jewish individuals”10/07/2025 - 12:22
  • Success: Home Offices rejects Hamas application for de-proscription10/07/2025 - 11:05
  • Britain’s March Against Antisemitism07/07/2025 - 21:00
  • CAA preparing criminal prosecution of Roger Waters07/07/2025 - 15:43
  • Comedian Reginald D. Hunter appears in court in private prosecution brought by CAA07/07/2025 - 12:33
  • “The only good pig is a dead pig”: CAA uncovers new footage of Bob Vylan04/07/2025 - 17:24
  • Britain’s March Against Antisemitism to be held in central London03/07/2025 - 18:09
  • Glastonbury, and the undoing of Britain30/06/2025 - 20:49
  • Rap duo leads “Death to the IDF” chant at Glastonbury Festival30/06/2025 - 17:28
  • CAA uncovers post by Palestine Action activist which appears to glorify terrorists27/06/2025 - 18:56

We are seeking to recruit a Communications and Research Manager an Education and Outreach Intern to join our London office

Join the fight

Subscribe
Volunteer
Donate

Campaign Against Antisemitism is a volunteer-led charity dedicated to exposing and countering antisemitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law. Everything that we do is done by people who volunteer their time, using donations contributed by members of the public. Join the fight against antisemitism by subscribing to our updates, volunteering, or donating.

Related

Justice, justice, you shall pursue - צדק צדק תרדף
© Copyright - Campaign Against Antisemitism, all rights reserved. Our logo is a registered trademark.
Campaign Against Antisemitism is a charitable incorporated organisation registered with the Charity Commission (number 1163790).
Use of our website is subject to our terms. Trees are planted every year to keep our work carbon neutral.
  • Link to X
  • Link to Tiktok
  • Link to Instagram
  • Link to Facebook
  • Link to Youtube
  • Link to LinkedIn
  • Link to Mail
Link to: Now you can donate a little to CAA every time you shop with Amazon Link to: Now you can donate a little to CAA every time you shop with Amazon Now you can donate a little to CAA every time you shop with Amazon Link to: CAA’s next moves on antisemitism in the Labour Party Link to: CAA’s next moves on antisemitism in the Labour Party CAA’s next moves on antisemitism in the Labour Party
Scroll to top Scroll to top Scroll to top

We use cookies to track use of our website and your preferences. Use of our website is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy.

Read more.Accept cookies and our terms of use

Cookie and Privacy Settings



How we use cookies

We may request cookies to be set on your device. We use cookies to let us know when you visit our websites, how you interact with us, to enrich your user experience, and to customize your relationship with our website.

Click on the different category headings to find out more. You can also change some of your preferences. Note that blocking some types of cookies may impact your experience on our websites and the services we are able to offer.

Essential Website Cookies

These cookies are strictly necessary to provide you with services available through our website and to use some of its features.

Because these cookies are strictly necessary to deliver the website, refusing them will have impact how our site functions. You always can block or delete cookies by changing your browser settings and force blocking all cookies on this website. But this will always prompt you to accept/refuse cookies when revisiting our site.

We fully respect if you want to refuse cookies but to avoid asking you again and again kindly allow us to store a cookie for that. You are free to opt out any time or opt in for other cookies to get a better experience. If you refuse cookies we will remove all set cookies in our domain.

We provide you with a list of stored cookies on your computer in our domain so you can check what we stored. Due to security reasons we are not able to show or modify cookies from other domains. You can check these in your browser security settings.

Google Analytics Cookies

These cookies collect information that is used either in aggregate form to help us understand how our website is being used or how effective our marketing campaigns are, or to help us customize our website and application for you in order to enhance your experience.

If you do not want that we track your visit to our site you can disable tracking in your browser here:

Other external services

We also use different external services like Google Webfonts, Google Maps, and external Video providers. Since these providers may collect personal data like your IP address we allow you to block them here. Please be aware that this might heavily reduce the functionality and appearance of our site. Changes will take effect once you reload the page.

Google Webfont Settings:

Google Map Settings:

Google reCaptcha Settings:

Vimeo and Youtube video embeds:

Other cookies

The following cookies are also needed - You can choose if you want to allow them:

Privacy Policy

You can read about our cookies and privacy settings in detail on our Privacy Policy Page.

Terms of use and privacy policy
Accept settingsHide notification only
SIGN UP FOR UPDATES BY E-MAIL

By default you will receive weekly e-mails, but when you receive the first e-mail you can change to daily or monthly e-mails instead.

If you prefer to subscribe later, you can do so by scrolling right to the bottom of this page.