Labour can be trusted again

Keir has been unwavering in his zero tolerance for antisemitism. He understood that, at heart, this was a moral crusade for a party that had always prided itself on being one of equality and tolerance for minorities.

For the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), the affiliated voice of Jews in the party for more than a century, when he became leader it was as if a switch had been flicked. Overnight we went from being marginalised, ignored and gaslit to being a vital partner for Starmer’s team, consulted along with other communal organisations in the significant process of change.

Sacking Rebecca Long-Bailey for sharing an article containing an antisemitic conspiracy theory. Proscribing membership of organisations which denied Labour antisemitism. Withdrawing the whip from Jeremy Corbyn when he denied the extent of antisemitism laid bare in the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s unprecedented and damning report. Pulling support from a by-election candidate, even if it meant losing the seat - something no major party had ever done. Sacking parliamentary candidates who share hateful content.

Time after time, Keir Starmer has demonstrated his commitment to tackling anti-Jewish hatred and making Labour a safe space for Jews once more.

With JLM’s help (and plenty of our training sessions delivered to everyone from the Shadow Cabinet to ordinary members), there has been a culture change across the party. Moderate candidates win internal elections and selections, controlling vital bodies like the National Executive Committee. Corbynite group Momentum is a busted flush. Anyone who doesn’t like it is shown the door.

To paraphrase Tony Blair, no one can be in any doubt that Keir leads his party – while Sunak is led by his.

Since the terrorist atrocity on October 7, things have got tougher. But – unlike in 2019 – the spike we’ve seen in antisemitism isn’t purely a product of bad actors in the Labour Party. It’s a problem for society, and a problem that we all need to fix.

Frankly, we were worried about the reception we’d receive at Labour’s Conference which began the day after that horrific event. But the reaction, from everyone, was one of empathy and support. Deputy Leader Angela Rayner introduced the minute’s silence and you could have heard a pin drop in the packed hall. Ordinary party members queued round the block to get into Labour Friends of Israel’s vigil.

While many Labour members – like many Jews – look on in horror at the impact of the war in Gaza, Labour’s position is consistent with that of both our government and, more significantly, that of the United States. Hostages must be released, we need a ceasefire and humanitarian aid as a prelude to a long-term, two-state peace deal.

In its manifesto, Labour repeated its commitment to recognising a Palestinian state only “as a contribution to a renewed peace process” – not unilaterally or as a day one stunt. As Keir often says, under his watch, Labour has become a party of power, not protest.

And Keir understands our community’s fears about hate at protests well. At JLM’s flagship conference earlier this year, talking about marches he said when the community sees “people who hate Jews, hiding behind people who support the just cause of a Palestinian state, we see what you see … let me assure you we will never let antisemitism sneak back into the Labour Party undercover. I see no greater cause in my leadership than this. This is my role.”

Politically, structurally, culturally, the Labour Party has changed. We in JLM helped deliver that change, so Labour was in a fit state to change the country for the better. And, with a crop of JLM members and allies standing for election on Thursday, we are firmly at the vanguard of that change.

Meanwhile, you have a Tory party that has failed to proscribe terror groups like Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — as Labour has promised to do — and which mocks Keir for wanting to respect his wife's Jewish heritage and take time out to spend Friday night dinner with his family.

At the last general election, JLM downed tools and went on campaign strike. Jews – along with many, many others – were denied a real choice in that election. People didn’t want to vote for Boris Johnson (a view subsequently vindicated in spades by Partygate and much more) but couldn’t possibly bring themselves to vote for Labour under Corbyn.

That choice is now restored. We’re campaigning hard for a Labour government — but, much more importantly, as a community whoever we vote for, that choice can be based on hope, not fear. That’s because Labour’s changed, and we’re not going back.