Opinion
We'll be glad to see Corbyn gone but let’s hold on to the unity he brought our community
There are things about the last few turbulent years that I hope that we will retain, writes Marie van der Zyl
December 17, 2019 10:00
2 min read
There are things about the last few turbulent years that I hope that we will retain, writes Marie van der Zyl
December 17, 2019 10:00The last four-and-a-half years of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party have been one of the most troubling periods for the UK Jewish community in our recent history.
We had a Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition who had been prepared to appear on platforms with rank antisemites and members of terrorist organisations; tolerate outrageous abuse and attacks on our community within Labour’s membership; and indulge in a fair few antisemitic tropes himself, whether relating to murals or British Zionists not understanding ‘English irony’.
He turned a once proudly anti-racist party into only the second political party to face a racism probe from the Equality and Human Rights Commission – the first being the neo-fascist British National Party. When Mr Corbyn finally apologised – after being asked repeatedly in television interviews – there was no sincerity.
As I said in my statement reacting to the results of last Thursday’s election, “When he eventually steps back, history will not look kindly on Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party, where anti-Jewish racism has been allowed to run amok.”
We will have to wait and see whether the next Labour leader is willing or able to exorcise the demons that have found a home in the party. We will certainly be insisting on it. But there can be little doubt that few in the Jewish community will be sorry to see Mr Corbyn go.
But there are things about the last few years that I hope that we will retain.
We have seen tremendous activism, from the grassroots to the established organisations, in political hustings meetings and on social media. We have seen a pride and a determination. And we have also seen unprecedented levels of unity.
Whether it was the Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council holding the joint ‘Enough is enough’ rally in Parliament Square; the JC partnering with the Jewish News and the Jewish Telegraph to run joint banner headlines; or the leaders of denominations from the most Orthodox to the most Liberal signing joint letters, it has been heartening to see how strong we are when we come together.
As we look to move into a new post-Corbyn era, it would be too easy to look again at the issues that prove divisive in the community, whether on religious practice or on how we relate to Israel.
I am not calling for uniformity. Our community is blessed with wonderful diversity. I am calling for us actively to seek unity, and, where there are divisions, to conduct ourselves as respectfully, civilly and constructively as we can.
As we end this very difficult year, I am glad that I will be at the Limmud Festival, one of the crowning jewels of our community’s search for common purpose alongside difference.
I will be addressing the Festival on Monday afternoon and exploring ways we can pursue that unity. I would welcome anyone who wishes to join me and get that discussion started.
Marie van der Zyl is the President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews
