Cllr Gary Champion says investigation found ‘no evidence of antisemitism’ after Corbyn ‘smear campaign’ comment
October 29, 2024 12:19
The Green Party faces renewed criticism over its handling of antisemitism allegations after a Norwich City councillor claimed an investigation found “no evidence of antisemitism” in his social media posts.
Councillor Gary Champion argued that Labour’s antisemitism crisis under Jeremy Corbyn was a “smear campaign,” driven by pro-Israel interests within the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM).
Despite receiving a complaint from the Jewish Labour Movement, the Greens never responded to the allegations against Champion, who represents Sewell Ward in Norwich.
JLM chair, Mike Katz, slammed the Greens for their inaction on the issue: “Once again, the Green Party has shown it simply doesn’t care about tackling antisemitism, even after we saw a number of its candidates at the general election exposed for having awful anti-Jewish views. This is despite the warning we gave them about it 18 months ago.
"Whether it’s ignorance or indifference, it’s nauseating to see a so-called progressive party ignore racism for the sake of political convenience.”
JLM officials first reported Champion’s comments in a February 2023 letter to Green Party co-leaders Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay.
In the letter, Katz, and then JLM national secretary Adam Langleben accused Champion of sharing content that “promoted antisemitic tropes” and claimed the Greens had provided “a refuge” for individuals expelled from Labour for similar allegations.
Despite calls for his suspension during the investigation, the Green Party has yet to provide an account of how alleged antisemitism has been addressed within its ranks. A spokesperson for the party declined to comment on Champion’s case.
The councillor’s posts are still visible on his Facebook and Twitter profiles. In one post, Champion wrote: “These criticisms [of Corbyn] are primarily because of The Jewish Labour Movement, which is an advocate of Zionism, thus any criticism of Israel is construed as racism”.
In others, he posted about Sir Keir Starmer and Boris Johnson’s “Zionism”.
In a post from January 2024, he linked the war in Gaza with Holocaust Remembrance Day.
In a letter sent last year, JLM officials condemned Champion’s posts: “That an elected councillor is sharing such material is extremely concerning for Jewish residents, and should be hugely worrying for you”.
The group urged Green Party leaders to investigate Champion and suspend his membership and whip during the inquiry.
However, despite these calls for action, Champion recently told the Eastern Daily Press (EDP) that “the complaints made by the Jewish Labour Movement last year were investigated and no evidence of antisemitism was found.”
Champion was re-elected in the May 2024 elections, as JLM raised ongoing concerns about his conduct. The JC understands that the Green Party did not respond to JLM’s initial letter or their recent follow-up.
JLM’s February letter also raised concerns about members expelled by Labour over allegations of antisemitism being admitted into the Greens.
“We fear that the Green Party is in danger of providing a refuge for both the ideas of left-wing antisemitism and the individuals involved in the bastardisation of progressive values,” JLM wrote.
“We have been extremely troubled by examples of councillors who had been expelled or suspended from Labour for antisemitism being welcomed into the Green Party”.
The letter asked for “an explanation of how the Green Party is training its elected members and activists on countering left antisemitism”. No such explanation or assurances were provided at the time.
Champion recently criticised his fellow Norwich councillors for calling the police when anti-Israel protestors tried to disrupt a meeting with calls for a ceasefire in Gaza. Some protestors suggested the council was in tacit support of the conflict.
The decision to call the police risked “sowing the seeds of hate”, Champion said, adding that the activists should have been welcomed.
During the meeting, one demonstrator asked whether the council would consider twinning with a city in the West Bank as a show of solidarity and to "recognise the UK's historic and ongoing involvement in the conflict". The idea was dismissed and chants of "shame on you" could be heard from outside the chamber.
Champion told the EDP, “My worry is that in an endeavour to keep councillors safe that we might exclude the ability of people to come into the council.”
The JC has approached Champion and the Green Party for comment.