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British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn delivers the keynote speech at a Labour conference in Liverpool, Britain, Sept. 26, 2016. Photo: Reuters / Phil Noble.
A number of top British Jewish groups weighed in on Monday following the resignation of seven Labour MPs — who cited, among other issues, pervasive antisemitism in the Jeremy Corbyn-led party as a reason for their move.
Marie van der Zyl, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, stated, “Today a group of seven Labour MPs announced their decision to leave the Labour Party and sit as an independent group in Parliament. In a searing indictment of the Labour leadership both Luciana Berger MP and Mike Gapes MP accused the party of being institutionally antisemitic. In the light of the horrific abuse aimed at Jewish MPs, we stand in solidarity with all those who have been targeted.”
“Labour has failed to deal with antisemitism since the Jewish Community’s Enough is Enough demonstration called on the Labour leadership to act against this racism,” van der Zyl added. “This is a moment of great shame for the Labour Party and a tragedy for the thousands of Jews who have supported the Party for generations.”
The Community Security Trust (CST) also commented on the resignations, saying in a statement, “It is shocking that the problem of antisemitism in the Labour Party has been allowed to fester and grow so much, that several of the MPs who today resigned from the party cited antisemitism as one of the reasons. The fact that Luciana Berger, one of the best known and admired Jewish MPs in Parliament, feels compelled to leave the Labour party due to the antisemitism she has personally suffered is a moment of shame that should cause outrage and alarm across the country.”
UK Jewish Groups Express Solidarity With Labour MPs Who Resigned Over Antisemitism in Party