We are a group of Liberal Democrats proud of the recent growth in support for our party, but seriously concerned that our leaders’ repeated utterances about alleged antisemitism have not been based on sound evidence. We have tried to raise this issue with them and get it discussed within the party, but much to our disappointment, have encountered a total refusal, as if the topic were taboo. The experience has led us to publish this article.
There exists prejudice against Jews and other minorities in all corners of British society, but we have found no hard evidence behind repeated assertions (echoed by the Lib Dem leadership) that it is exceptional or rampant on the Labour left. Since 2017, some of us have been trying to get the leadership to discuss the issue properly, but without success. The experience motivated us to form this group, and write them an open letter in May, asking them to “tell the truth about alleged antisemitism”. We highlighted three problems:
- repeated public statements by party leaders lending our voice to constant media allegations that the Labour Party was a den of rampant left-wing antisemitism; we attached hard statistical evidence that they were based on unproven and unsourced information, and were stifling rational debate about both Israel/Palestine and the dangers of antisemitism and racism.
- the party’s federal board had unreasonably suspended ‘Liberal Democrat Friends of Palestine’ (LDFP), alleging antisemitism, mainly on account of LDFP posting on its website a link to an article pointing out that a pro-Israel donor was funding the breakaway Independent Group (TIG) of MPs. The federal board provided no evidence that the article was in any way inaccurate or antisemitic in intent.
- The Party had uncritically adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) definition of antisemitism with its eleven ‘examples’, notwithstanding weighty evidence that pro-Israel lobbyists and media allies were using it to shield Israel’s Zionist doctrine (supported by many millions of US “Christian Zionists”) from any criticism, and close down free speech on Israel and Palestine (see here for example). We advocated reverting to a simple OED-type definition like hostile to or prejudiced against Jews.
We did not get any response from the Party leadership, but tried to get the topic discussed on four different Lib Dem online forums, only to find ourselves shut out of one platform after another. On one of them, Party activists and officers subjected us and others to troll-like abuse. We have formally complained about our treatment but, having seen no action since 16 June, are not holding our breath.
