The Labour candidate for Finchley and Golders Green has said he can “respect and understand” Luciana Berger’s decision to quit his party, saying she was the “victim of horrific abuse.”
Speaking to the JC days after he selected to fight the marginal seat Ross Houston also said he recognised the “failure” of Jeremy Corbyn “to tackle antisemitism fast enough and robustly enough.”
He also slammed claims by the local Tory MP Mike Freer that Ms Berger should not be contesting the seat because she was challenging someone who was held to be a friend of the Jewish community.
“All three parties in this constituency have many Jewish members and I think it is right and fair to say that all three candidates would hope to be seen as friends of the Jewish community,” said the Labour candidate.
“Luciana Berger has every right to stand as a candidate wherever she chooses.”
Mr Houston – who works full-time as a housing officer for a housing association as well as sitting as deputy leader of the Labour group on Barnet Council – added he was “angry” about his party’s failure to stamp out anti-Jewish racism.
He said: "In my view an independent disciplinary process is essential.”
He added: "Every member must make up their own mind about how best to tackle antisemitism in the Labour Party – whether from outside the Party or from within.
“There are many Jewish members who have not left the Party and many who are members in our constituency because they want to stay and fight, including members of the Barnet Labour Group of Councillors.
“I will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with them in that fight as long as they stay.”
The 52 year-old, from Fife, Scotland, rejected claims that he was speaking out now ahead of an election contest on the issue, but had been too silent on antisemitism on the past.
“Barnet Labour Group and Finchley and Golders Green Constituency have taken a lead in tackling this issue within the party,” he said. "Barry Rawlings as leader and me as his deputy work very closely as all our group members know.
“As leader Barry was our spokesperson and had to be for maximum impact but everything he did and said on this issue was done working with me and with my full support.
“I am a constituency delegate and have supported every measure by our Jewish Labour Movement members to challenge the party to deal with this issue robustly.”
Mr Houston said he believed members of the Jewish Labour Movement locally would still help his campaign even though the group are expected to announce that they will not officially support him ahead of the December 12 poll, out of respect of his Lib Dem challenger Ms Berger.
Recent polls have suggested Labour, who came within 1,600 votes of taking the seat from Tory MP Mike Freer in 2017, have suffered this time around as a result both of Ms Berger’s entry into the race and her strong pro-Remain stance in a constituency that firmly rejected Brexit.
Mr Houston said: "I don’t think any of the candidates or Parties should ever take the electorate for granted. It is for each candidate and Party to put their manifesto and campaign to electors to ask for their support.
“I am standing as the only credible People’s Vote candidate in Finchley & Golders Green where 70% of people voted to Remain.
“I hope this will resonate with voters, and I look forward to taking my campaign to doorsteps in the constituency.
“As someone who is passionately opposed to Brexit, I of course disagree with Mike Freer, who I feel has caved in to the hard Brexiteers in his own party and, as a government whip, has helped facilitate the Johnson government’s no deal/hard Brexit policy.
“However as a hardened anti-Brexit campaigner I can tell you that revoking Brexit without another public vote will disenfranchise and enrage Leave voters - and be a gift to Farage’s Brexit Party and the Tory hard Brexiteers.
“A People's Vote with a sensible deal versus Remain will put the issue to bed for a generation and allow the country to heal and move on. I am firmly committed to campaigning for Remain.”
Mr Houston said he was “also very keen to see an end to austerity and the implementation of our Green New Deal.”
He added: "I am known to be a housing campaigner for more genuinely affordable homes and regulation of the private rented sector.”
Commenting on Mr Freer’s record as the local MP, Mr Houston said: "Well if he understands the constituents over issues such as Brexit, the funding of schools and the NHS, he chooses to ignore them.
“Mike should have resigned his whip’s job supporting Theresa May and Boris Johnson at Westminster and spent more time knocking on doors to know how his constituents are feeling about Brexit and on issues such as the impact of Tory and Coalition government funding cuts since 2010 on our local schools, health services - and in a particular focus on issues such as GP waiting times, issues with our regeneration schemes and the desperate need for affordable housing.
“I have lived in this area for over two decades and know and love this constituency. It is my home. As a local councillor I am regularly out on the doorstep listening to residents.”
