UK
Novara Media apologise for fuelling antisemitic abuse of Jewish Labour donor
The left wing media outlet published false claims that Gary Lubner was an ‘apartheid profiteer’
September 23, 2024 15:49
The left wing media outlet published false claims that Gary Lubner was an ‘apartheid profiteer’
September 23, 2024 15:49Novara Media has apologised for falsely claiming that a leading Labour donor was an ‘apartheid profiteer’ and that his son, who leads the party’s youth wing, has close ties to the Israeli government.
The incorrect claims led people to direct antisemitic abuse at Gary and Jack Lubner, the left-wing publisher wrote on Sunday.
"We failed in our duties, in publishing these false allegations,” Novara said.
In April, the outlet published a video titled, “The TRUTH About Labour’s Pro-Israel Mega-Donor.”
It claimed that Gary Lubner had profited from South Africa’s apartheid regime.
The businessman was born in the country to Jewish refugees from Russia before being conscripted into its police force. It is an experience he credits with fuelling his opposition to the country’s brutal system of white supremacy which lasted until 1990.
On 9 April 2024 we published a video entitled "The TRUTH About Labour’s Pro-Israel Mega-Donor." The video claimed without any evidence that Gary Lubner was an apartheid profiteer and falsely alleged that Gary and Jack Lubner have close ties to and are supportive of the Israeli…
— Novara Media (@novaramedia) September 22, 2024
Having made millions of pounds running Belron, which owns the glass repair firm Autoglass, he went on to donate millions to the Labour Party.
His son, Jack Lubner, is the national chair of Young Labour and a parliamentary researcher for Finchley and Golders Green MP Sarah Sackman.
Apologising for coverage of the pair, Novara said: “The video claimed without any evidence that Gary Lubner was an apartheid profiteer and falsely alleged that Gary and Jack Lubner have close ties to and are supportive of the Israeli Government.
"We wish to make clear that the allegations within the video against Gary and Jack Lubner were false and based upon a single unreliable article. We failed in our duties in publishing these false allegations…
"We are pleased to make clear that Gary Lubner was an anti-apartheid activist and led anti-Apartheid organisations through the 1980s. He worked closely with leading figures in the anti-apartheid movement to help bring about change in South Africa. He also at Mr Mandela’s own request, served as a Trustee on the Nelson Mandela Legacy Trust.”
The false claims, Novara wrote, had led to antisemitic abuse being suffered by the Lubners following the video's publication.
Novara further apologised for claiming that the pair were supporters of the Israeli government.
"Gary and Jack Lubner are not supportive of and do not have ties to the Israeli Government and are not lobbyists on its behalf,” they wrote.
"Rather, they are proud British Jews who have worked towards a just peace that affords Palestinians and Israelis self-determination, dignity and human rights.
"We are told that, whilst most of Gary’s philanthropy is focussed on South Africa and the UK, he has contributed to numerous human rights organisations active in Israel and Palestine.
"Gary has made significant contributions to charities working to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, AS WELL AS a number of victims and families of the October 7 Hamas attack.”
Novara said they have made a “sizeable” charitable donation in their name to the World Central Kitchen, which provides food aid in Gaza and which had several employees killed by the IDF earlier this year, and the Community Security Trust, a group which some Novara staff have previously disparaged on social media.
The Lubners declined to comment. Novara Media was contacted for comment.