Corbyn government would pose an 'existential threat to Jewish life', say three major Jewish newspapers

The joint editorial in The Jewish Chronicle, Jewish News and the Jewish Telegraph accused Labour of showing 'contempt for Jews and Israel'

The campaign group, Campaign Against Antisemitism, Jewish community groups and their supporters stage a protest in Parliament Square, London, England on July 19, 2018 (Getty)

Jeremy Corbyn’s efforts to resolve the row over Labour antisemitism has suffered a major blow, after Britain’s three leading Jewish newspapers claimed a government led by him would pose an “existential threat to Jewish life” in the UK.

The unprecedented joint editorial on the front pages of the Jewish Chronicle, Jewish News and the Jewish Telegraph, accused Labour of showing “contempt for Jews and Israel”.

In particular it cited the party’s decision to adopt a “diluted” version of the International Holocaust Rememberance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

Mr Corbyn has said he is committed to working with Jewish groups to address antisemitism in Labour, and insists changes to the party rulebook build on the IHRA definition rather than undermine it.

But as the crisis deepened on Thursday morning, Labour peer Melvyn Bragg accused Mr Corbyn of “feebleness” in tackling antisemitism within the party.

It marks a new low in relations with the Jewish community and follows a vow from Mr Corbyn’s spokesman to take action against a senior Labour MP who is said to have called Mr Corbyn an “antisemite” and “racist”.

Under the headline “United We Stand”, the three papers described Labour’s refusal to adopt in full the IHRA definition of antisemitism as “sinister”.

Explaining why they took the highly unusual step of the joint editorial, the papers said: “We do so because of the existential threat to Jewish life in this country that would be posed by a Jeremy Corbyn-led government.

“We do so because the party that was, until recently, the natural home for our community has seen its values and integrity eroded by Corbynite contempt for Jews and Israel.

“The stain and shame of anti-Semitism has coursed through Her Majesty’s Opposition since Jeremy Corbyn became leader in 2015.”

In a direct attack on Mr Corbyn they express concern that “a man who has a problem seeing that hateful rhetoric aimed at Israel can easily step into anti-Semitism could be our next Prime Minister”.

They urged Labour MPs to back a motion to be debated by the parliamentary party in September to accept the IHRA definition in full, including its list of examples of antisemitic behaviour.

In particular the newspapers alleged the changes to the Labour rulebook were made in order to avoid the need to expel hundreds or even thousands of party members.

Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee enraged Jewish groups by omitting four of the IHRA examples of antisemitism from their new definition, mostly relating to criticism of the state of Israel. The party insists the same issues are covered elsewhere in the document.

A Labour Party spokesman said: “Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party are fully committed to the support, defence and celebration of the Jewish community and its organisations.

“The next Labour government poses no threat of any kind whatsoever to Jewish people.

“The security and wellbeing of Jewish people is a priority for our party and in government we will always ensure schools, synagogues and institutions are properly protected.

“We understand the strong concerns raised in the Jewish community and are seeking to engage with communal organisations to build trust and confidence in our party. We know there is a huge amount of work to do.”

Mr Corbyn has asked Labour’s new general secretary Jennie Formby to make it her top priority to strengthen disciplinary procedures on anti-Semitism, said the spokesman.

“Labour’s code of conduct on anti-Semitism adopts the IHRA definition and expands on and contextualises its examples to produce robust, legally-sound guidelines that a political party can apply to disciplinary cases,” he said.

“We have concerns about one half of one of the IHRA’s 11 examples, which could be used to deny Palestinians, including Palestinian citizens of Israel and their supporters, their rights and freedoms to describe the discrimination and injustices they face in the language they deem appropriate.”

In a letter to The Times, Lord Bragg said he does not believe Mr Corbyn is a racist, but said he has failed to tackle antisemitism in the party effectively.

“The virus of antisemitism is growing in the UK and Corbyn is in a strong position to stamp it out without any equivocation,” said the former South Bank Show presenter.

“Jeremy Corbyn’s feebleness on this matter is a disgrace to the Labour Party and shames its traditional creed of tolerance, as well as grossly insulting some of our fellow citizens.”

But Corbyn backing rock singer Billy Bragg said he was “astonished by this divisive headline” in the three newspapers.

He argued on Twitter that: “We all need to calm down and address this problem in a reasonable manner.”

Mr Bragg claimed that both sides of the row, including British Jewish groups, had to “build trust”, but that the newspapers’ headline was like “pouring petrol on the fire”.

Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge faces disciplinary action after she confronted Mr Corbyn in the Commons last week, reportedly calling him an antisemite and a racist.