'Publication of the EHRC report marks a sad and difficult day for the Labour Party'

The publication of the EHRC report marks a sad and difficult day for the Labour Party, perhaps the most shameful in our long, proud history.
Oliver CoppardOliver Coppard
Oliver Coppard

For the Party that sees itself as the last, best defence of equality and social justice in our country to be found responsible for unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination against an ethnic minority, is a matter of the most profound sadness and regret.

There is no doubt that the last few years have been incredibly difficult for Jewish people in the Labour Party and the UK more broadly.

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Personally, I have felt alienated, let down and hurt by the way in which the leadership and all too many of their cheerleaders ignored, downplayed and excused almost every instance of antisemitism in our ranks.

Their failure to seriously tackle antisemitism was why I have felt unable to play a full role in the Party over the last few years.

My experience was far from unique. All too many Jewish people – and Labour supporters from across our City - have had to make difficult, often heart-breaking decisions about their involvement with and support for the Labour Party; the Party so many of us have seen as our natural home for so many years.

I had hoped the publication of the report would mark a moment of deep reflection for those people who consistently chose to underplay and dismiss the very real concerns of the Jewish community, right across the Labour movement.

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But now it seems our best hope can be that this will be a moment of catharsis and change for the Party and for politics in our country.

His actions today leave me with little doubt about Keir Starmer’s commitment to making that change a reality and implementing the recommendations of the EHRC report in full.

But a change in leadership and policy is not enough. This is not the end of this fight it is simply the end of the beginning.

That change from the top must be followed by change from the bottom up.

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It is the responsibility of every member to make the Labour Party a hostile environment for antisemitism; every day, at every meeting, both on and offline.

As Keir himself said today, if you do not recognise the problem, you are yourself part of the problem.

When we were last in government, the Labour Party founded the forerunner to the very organisation – the EHRC – that today found us guilty of harbouring antisemitism.

For the vast majority of the history of our movement, the Labour Party has been the best defence and best hope for minority communities in Britain and elsewhere.

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Now is the time for every member of our Party to take responsibility for reclaiming that position, leading the fight for equality and social justice in every community across our country, starting with our own.