Anti-Semitic Slurs Killed Corbynism
LEAH LEVANE
I am really pleased that Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt is coming to Hastings on 25 June to talk about her amazing book about the years when Jeremy Corbyn was leader of the Labour Party and allegations of antisemitism were heaped on him and his supporters, including me and others in Hastings. These attacks destroyed the political project – Corbynism – that had given hope to millions. I remember the excitement at the possibility of a future government that believed another way, other than austerity, cuts and insecurity, was possible.
The fact that we are beginning to see what Mamdani is achieving in New York in less than six months is some indication of what is possible.
So what happened and why does it still matter? Well to me, the loss of hope matters; it matters that as a Jewish woman I have been slurred for being antisemitic and self-hating. I believe these attacks helped move the country to the right and is also a key reason for the lack of mainstream British political opposition to Israel’s actions in Gaza and West Asia more widely.
Jeremy Corbyn is a mild-mannered politician who had always strongly opposed all forms of racism, supported Jewish people and yet was called the biggest threat to Jewish people. His support for Palestinian rights and opposition to war were just part of the ‘problem’. He was not linked with antisemitism until he became Leader, but then thousands and thousands of ‘news’ items, articles, and documentaries portrayed unevidenced allegations of antisemitism as ‘fact’.
As Co-Chair of Jewish Voice for Liberation – previously Jewish Voice for Labour. – I was one of those who endorsed this book and am somewhat awestruck to be among people such as Ghada Kharmi, Ken Loach, Michael Mansfield KC, Yanis Varoufakis and others. My endorsement included this: “Jewish Voice for Labour was set up to try to counter the false allegations of antisemitism… One of our ongoing tasks has been to separate Judaism and Zionism … a growing proportion of Jews are non or anti-Zionist. Rebecca Gordon-Nesbitt’s clarity on this is all too rare…in the face of very real anti-Jewish hatred.”
It still matters, not least because the same tactics are being used again about Zack Polanski. I had hoped – expected – that after years of a genocide in Gaza, increasing West Bank settler attacks and the fact that Polanski is Jewish, this would have stopped. But no. Meanwhile Netanyahu claims that Israel acts only in self-defence and also that it acts on behalf of the Jewish people throughout the world! Well, most definitely not in my name.
And it matters beyond Israel and Palestine; these attacks are used to deride those who want to address the growing obscene wealth gap where some have billions and most of us struggle to pay for essential expenses. It matters because the attack on Corbynism was an attack on the idea that things could be different. Ilan Pappe is an Israeli born historian, now teaching at the University of Exeter and his comment for the book included that this attack was on “politics that would challenge greedy capitalist stakeholders, who benefit from a world scorched by fires of war and global warming.” And surely, if opposition to the status quo, to the way our society and our economy is to be attacked then it is also an assault on democracy?
At the meeting we will hear what Rebecca has learned from her extensive research and experience. Also speaking will be Peter Chowney, also a parliamentary candidate under Corbyn’s leadership. There will be plenty of time for questions and contributions.
The meeting, organised by the Hastings Peoples Party, is at 6.45 on Thursday 25 June at the Friends Meeting House, South Terrace, Hastings.
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