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Lib Dem ex-leader of Hertfordshire council accused of blocking adoption of antisemitism definition

A motion preventing a debate on IHRA was put forward by councillor Sara Bedford and passed narrowly

August 4, 2020 15:03
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3 min read

The former leader of Three Rivers District Council in Hertfordshire been accused of blocking attempts by the body to adopt the internationally recognised definition of antisemitism.

A motion on hate crime put forward by Liberal Democrat councillor Sara Bedford – which was narrowly passed at an extraordinary council meeting last week – noted that “half of all religious hate crime is directed against Muslims, whilst almost 20 per cent is antisemitic” and included a clause preventing any future debate on the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

A motion to adopt IHRA, proposed by independent councillor Alex Michaels, who had quit the Lib Dems in April, was expected to pass had it been heard later at the meeting.

Three other equality motions has also been tabled by councillors, but Cllr Bedford’s motion was narrowly passed, with three of her 20 colleagues failing to support it.