London Borough of Brent

International Definition of Antisemitism

The Council has adopted the International Definition of Antisemitism in full, including all of its examples.

The Definition was adopted on 17th September 2018.

The Council has told Campaign Against Antisemitism that: “On 18th September 2017, Brent’s Full Council approved a motion to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. This included the guidelines highlighting possible examples of antisemitism, subject to one amendment. The following year, on 17th September 2018, Brent’s Full Council approved a motion to immediately adopt, into its Councillor and public workers code of conduct, the full and complete IHRA definition of antisemitism, and implement policies to ensure that hate crimes against Jewish people are acted upon quickly and decisively. The motion of 17th September 2018 does supersede that of 2017.”

The Council has incorporated the Definition into its Members’ Code of Conduct.

This information was obtained after Campaign Against Antisemitism submitted a request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on 21st July 2021, to which the Council responded on 10th August 2021.

As part of its response, the Council provided minutes of a Council meeting on 17th September 2018, which show that the Definition was adopted.

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 and former Mayor, Aslam Choudry, who shared an antisemitic video about the ‘Jewish lobby’ controlling America, said he would undertake antisemitism training.

The Council adopted an amended version of the International Definition of Antisemitism, as well as voting that Jewish rights to self-determination should only be recognised alongside Palestinian rights.