In a few weeks, Britons will go to the polls and choose who will lead them at this crucial time. It’s one of the more consequential votes in British history.
The leaders of the main political parties each stir strong feelings. Jeremy Corbyn, who leads the Labour Party, is no exception. He’s a man of extreme views, and for Britain’s Jews he represents what many have called the most anti-Semitic politician in memory. 87% of British Jews call him an anti-Semite. 47% of British Jews say they would consider emigrating if Corbyn became Prime Minister.
A recent front-page article in the British newspaper The Jewish Chronicle summed up many criticisms of Corbyn: “Throughout his career, he has allied with and supported antisemites… He has described organizations like Hamas, whose founding charter commits it to the extermination of every Jew on the planet, as his ‘friends’. He has laid a wreath to honour terrorists who have murdered Jews….”
Some voters who support some of Corbyn’s policies - or who dislike the policies advocated by Boris Johnson, leader of the Conservative Party and a polarizing politician in his own right - justify supporting Corbyn despite his deep flaws. That was what a British acquaintance told me recently: “I dislike Corbyn,” he said, "but I'd vote for him because I dislike the other politicians even more."
Yet evil is always evil, no matter what the context. Voting for a virulent anti-Semite is always wrong, even when there are larger political issues at play. Finally, a brave group of 24 British writers and other public figures has stood up and declared that no matter what the larger political picture, they cannot and will not support Corbyn, an anti-Semite.
“Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership” a public letter published Nov. 14, 2019, explains, “Labour has come under formal investigation...for institutional racism against Jews. Two Jewish MPs have been bullied out of the party. Mr. Corbyn has a long record of embracing antisemites as comrades.” The letter was signed by 24 well known public authors, actors, and activists including John Le Carre, actor Tom Holland, Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and historian Antony Beevor.
The public figures acknowledge that the looming prospect of Brexit dominates public discussion today. Compared to this major issue, other problems such as Corbyn’s stance on Jews and Jewish interests have routinely been dismissed as a minor footnote to the bigger problems facing the nation. The letter’s signatories dismiss this reasoning, explaining that the way Britain treats its Jews says something basic about what the country stands for. They won’t vote for Corbyn, no matter what their political views, because to do so would violate a basic standard of decency they will never surrender.
“...Antisemitism is central to a wider debate about the kind of country we want to be” the signatories declare: “To ignore it because Brexit looms larger is to declare that anti-Jewish prejudice is a price worth paying for a Labour government… The path to a more tolerant society must encompass Britain’s Jews with unwavering solidarity.”
We owe the signatories a debt of thanks for standing up for what is right and not excusing anti-Semitism. No matter how high it seems the political stakes might be, voting for an anti-Semite sends a message to all Jews that they are not welcome, that their rights and security is not fully valued.
These are perilous political times, but as these 24 British figures have bravely and eloquently reminded us, we can never afford to compromise our morality for the sake of politics.
(6) Shimon, November 20, 2019 11:03 AM
Antisemitism in the UK
Figures show about 10% of the British people hold antisemitic views. It is one of the lowest figures in Europe, but it still translates to a significant number. Since the Labour party has 500,000 members we can assume that about 50,000 are antisemitic. However, the same applies to the Conservative traditional supporters. The difference is that Labour supporters are younger and more active on social media than the Conservatives, so it creates the impression this party is more antisemitic.
I believe the vast majority of Labour supporters are indifferent to Israel - it is a distant country with no impact on their regular livess. They support Corbyn because of his stand against austerity and support for the national health service. A small number of vocal anti-Israel activists have the stage but they do not represent this majority.
Yes, Corbyn is anti-Israel, but he is not proposing to ban shecchita or take any other measures invariably associated with antisemitic leaders. We have our own "beloved" Israeli scum politicians using antisemitic stereotypes to demonize the religious public. The Israeli government negotiates with Hamas. Those who live in glass houses should not....
Raymond, November 20, 2019 3:12 PM
Where Can British antisemitism Be Found?
But why do you assume that British conservatives are as antisemitic as are those who are on the British Left? People choose what side of the political divide they are, based on what the beliefs are of their political leaders. Jeremy Corbyn is on the Left and is antisemitic, while Boris Johnson is on the Right and is strongly pro-Israel. And so it is safe to assume that those who like Jews, are more likely to support Boris Johnson, while those who hate Jews, feel more comfortable supporting fellow antisemite Jeremy Corbyn. And looking back over history, the pattern is fairly consistent. British conservative Prime Ministers such as Margaret Thatcher, Winston Churchill, and Arthur Balfour were all strongly pro-Israel. Now, I will admit that there are exceptions: Tony Blair liked us, and he was Left of Center. However, he was a politically far more moderate. I would compare him in American terms to such Democrats as Robert Kennedy, Henry Scoop Jackson, and Daniel Patrick Moynihan. Moderate Democrats are far more likely to be pro-Israel, and to not engage in extreme hatred for us conservatives. I have far less problem with such people. Where things go awry, is when the Moderate Democrats or the British Labor Party allows the Far Left to take control over their political party. When people such as Ocasio-Cortez are praised, it is not a good sign. And when people like Jeremy Corbyn are no longer fringe but is the actual head of the British Labor Party, that is definitely a cause for worry for us Jews.
Rachel, November 20, 2019 7:36 PM
People choose their political leaders based on side of divide they are on
There are people I respect and might even like, for whom I would not vote because they do not share my political beliefs and concerns. Were I British, I would not vote for Corbyn given his anti-Semitism, but nor would I vote for Johnson because I oppose Brexit. At least with a parliamentary system, voting for a smaller party is a real option.
Raymond, November 21, 2019 2:19 PM
Europa
My vote for any particular candidate is so overwhelmingly for whomever is the most pro-Israel, that I am sure that if I were a British citizen, I would support Boris Johnson to be its Prime Minister. As for Brexit, my take on that is that I am all for it, as the less that Great Britain is connected with the rest of Europe, the better. I realize that England hardly has a stellar historical record regarding us Jews, yet with all of its imperfections in that regard, is still lightyears better than Europe as a whole has been to us Jews.
(5) Raymond, November 20, 2019 5:19 AM
Good for the Jews
I can list example after example of how antisemitism has found a home on the Political Left-of-Center, while it is the conservatives who are strongly pro-Israel. and so it boggles my mind how any Jew at all could vote on the Left, and yet American Jews do so overwhelmingly. What, for example, is Donald Trump supposed to think? He could not possibly be more strongly pro-Israel than he is, yet American Jews continue to overwhelmingly oppose him. It just goes to show how utterly ignorant of their own Jewish heritage that most American Jews are.
Rachel, November 20, 2019 6:22 AM
Good for Israel is not necessarily good for American Jews
Neither Trump nor his evangelical supporters evince much support for American Jews. I am wary of any politician who does not fully condemn American racism and anti-Semitism. Corbyn is an anti-Semite and anti Israel, so opposing him is not a hard question. Britain does not have a large evangelical population whose support for ISrael is contingent upon all Jews making aliyah to fulfill prophecy of their religion.
Raymond, November 20, 2019 2:55 PM
Charlottesville
If you are referring to Charlottesville, please know that it is a lie told by the Political Left that President Trump never condemned the neo-nazis who demonstrated that day. He very much DID condemn them. He made that abundantly clear, that is, clear to those who were willing to listen to what he actually said. Furthermore, when he said that there are good people on both sides of the issue, he was specifically referring to the fact that good people can and do disagree on the subject of Confederate soldiers continuing to be on public display....and he is right about that. In fact, I myself oppose taking down those statues, and so in order to call our President a nazi sympathizer, one would have to accuse me of being the same thing, which would be an odd position to take, given that I happen to be proudly Jewish.
I say all this despite knowing that my words will fall in deaf ears to those who are filled with hatred toward our President. If President Trump would find a cure for cancer, his haters would respond by calling him a racist. That is maddening enough, but to me what may be even worse is when Jews oppose him, given what a truly fantastic friend he is to our Jewish people.
(4) Shimon, November 18, 2019 3:55 PM
Attacks on Jeremy Corbyn serve no useful purpose
Do the election arithmetic. In UK about 280,000 Jewish people. Many, although far from all, are in comfortable circumstances so they are unlikely to vote for a left wing, socialist party. On the other hand, there are more than ten times this amount of Muslims, many of them living in poor areas. Corbyn would be committing electoral suicide by becoming an advocate for Israel. What he says and does make sense as far as his electoral prospects are concerned. Does this make him antisemitic? We don't know what is his heart. I don't see any benefits in making him into a bigger enemy than he has to be in his quest for support from his most likely electoral base.
Dvirah, November 19, 2019 6:49 AM
Not Reassuring
Whatever the motivation, the danger is real - even more so if Corbyn is acting to please an electorate committed to the destruction of all Jews and of Judaism, as many are.
(3) Rachel, November 17, 2019 8:50 PM
Thank you
I hope other prominent British citizens will join them. The best thing would be for both Labour and Conservative parties to get rid of their present leaders (Corbyn and Johnson) so that Britain may have a government run by a competent and decent leader.
(2) Jay B. "Yaakov" Abrams, November 17, 2019 7:10 PM
G-d Bless Them!
May HaShem bless these courageous British public figures, who may take political and personal heat for doing the right thing. May HaShem bless and protect them.
Anonymous, November 19, 2019 2:34 AM
Yes Jay!!
We are indeed in perilous times as Dr. Miller has stated!! I am not Jewish but, the Lord has put it on my heart to care for Israel & The Jewish people every place on planet Earth. Things are changing so fast ( and not for good ) it's like I went to sleep and awoke to this nightmare. We are in the "end times" as the Hebrew Bible teaches. Evil is good,good is evil. Madness is taking over! I will give an example,-here in the State of Massachusetts on the radio today, people who leave the state to buy menthol cigarettes can have their cars taken from them!! This is insane!! This state has legalized Marijuana for recreational use and now is attacking Tobacco & Vaping relentlessly! Their reasoning is flavored tobacco is what teenagers are going for-so make it illegal. I guess now it's ok for these same teenagers to be high going to school & driving around. I believe it's really about money more than anything else. Tobacco was ok till the "Pot Shops" were up and running. Sorry for going off subject, it's just another example of sound judgement going out the window. My prayer is for G-D to protect 'His People', & for our elected leaders to do what is morally correct for ALL PEOPLE without Predgujest!!! Amen & Amen.
(1) Babu Thomas, November 17, 2019 2:10 PM
Anti Jewish & ani Indian
Time and again proved beyond doubt He is Anti Jewish and anti Indian . Betrayal to the British peoples on their verdict is latest one .