Letters: Antisemitism isn’t just a problem for the left

Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

Adam Taylor helpfully sets about explaining "How the Labour Party became engulfed by accusations of antisemitism”. Well that's very decent of him, but it is fairly obvious that it suits all interested players in the politics game to make a mountain out of a molehill: all involved, except those genuinely able to describe themselves as "on the left", both in and outside the Labour party.

I have to accept that there is most likely a number of antisemites in the party, not that Labour is unique in this respect and they have to go, although in 30+ years as a member I've not met one.

What is certain is that a lot of Blairite Labour MPs and peers, incensed at Corbyn winning the leadership election (by a not inconsiderable margin) latch on with alacrity to anything which could further their aim to get shot of him. That this sentiment used and propagated daily by the press and broadcast media to harm Labour is all too plain to witness, even in your paper.

Eddie Dougall

Suffolk

Corbyn symbolises hope but the media need to give us a balanced debate

The election of a new leader of the Labour Party committed to opposing the growing inequality in our society and fighting for social justice is an opportunity to enrich political debate and discussion within Parliament, within society and within the media.

We are therefore very disappointed by the response of the established media to this new situation. There has been little attempt at a balanced debate. Too many editorials, articles and news reports have sought to create a sense of panic and to defame the views of those who have the support of the overwhelming majority of labour party members. This narrows the opportunity for the general public to hear both sides of the argument.

We call on all newspapers and TV editors to urgently redress this balance and provide a broader, more informed and more representative account of political debate in the future.

Signed by:

Melissa Benn, Writer and journalist

Dr Ken Jones, Emeritus Professor, Goldsmiths University

Dr Gemma Moss, Professor of Education, Bristol University

Sheila Rowbotham, Professor of Gender and Labour History, Manchester University,

Lynne Segal, Anniversary Professor of Psychology and Gender Studies, Birkbeck College, University of London

Christine Blower, General Secretary National Union of Teachers

Kevin Courtney, Deputy General Secretary, National Union of Teachers

Dr Liz Lawrence, President University and College Union

Dr Valerie Coultas, Senior Lecturer English in Education, Kingston University

Johnson’s Brexit gamble was the wrong move

Boris ‘swordsman’ Johnson coming out for Brexit was the money shot in his political career. Not pretty.

He should have reasonably assured future as chat show fodder and idiosyncratic writer - nothing higher than that, though.

Steve Ford

Haydon Bridge

Livingstone – political arsonist or towering figure in British politics?

Sadly, it’s no surprise that Labour are in disarray. For a political arsonist such as Ken Livingstone to say he has never heard his counterparts say anything antisemitic goes beyond him needing his ears cleaned.

Livingstone, the left wing dinosaur, is not alone and unfortunately, the Party elected a leader too weak to expose the cracks within it.

Let us be clear that criticism of Israel’s policy is not necessarily anti-Jewish; no government should be immune from criticism. The issue is the line that the party is treading, as their candidates illustrate. Under Corbyn’s watch, Labour is losing members, young and old that would otherwise consider its natural home just days before an election.

Laura Brodkin

London

Ken Livingstone is a towering figure in British politics. He has an excellent track record in the stand against the triple alliance of racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism. He has shown repugnance for Nazis and considered the Holocaust as the most heinous massacre perpetrated in modern times. He celebrated the contributions of Jews to the political, economic, social, religious and cultural enrichment of society and human civilization at large, and made his views clear on numerous occasions. This could hardly be called antisemitic.

He should have never been suspended from the Labour party. There is a huge difference between criticising Israeli policies in the occupied Palestinian territories and South Lebanon, which many Jews abhor worldwide and within Israel, and insulting Jewish people and Judaism as a faith. The suspension or expulsion of anyone for voicing opinions does grave injustice to the memory of Holocaust survivors who fought for liberation, justices and free speech.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob

London