Why Sadiq in City Hall could help mend relations with Labour
Jack Mendel is the former Online Editor at the Jewish News.
by Jack Mendel, Online editor
There is a mounting list of problems between the Jewish community and the Labour Party, so let’s not start creating imaginary ones over Sadiq Khan.
During his campaign to be Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan has had to wade through a swamp criticism mainly hinged on controversy in his political party.
Yet, Khan seems to understands that dwindling support for the party within the Jewish community is due to its critical stance on Israel. And, he has also proactively tried to tackle the more recent stream of anti-Semitism allegations.
Criticism of the party has ranged from the leadership’s links to extremist groups and views, to activists at the grassroots level expressing anti-Semitic bile.
The underlying feeling is the party just doesn’t ‘get it’ on anti-Semitism.
But, it’s precisely because Jewish Londoners are uneasy about supporting Labour as a result of this, that Sadiq has worked overtime to win our backing.
In my professional dealings with Sadiq Khan, interviewing him during the current election campaign at the CST, he seems to get the problem, whilst Tory hopeful Zac Goldsmith seems to simply be lying low.
Goldsmith has hoped that he can sit back whilst the vultures pick at the Labour carcass over anti-Semitism.
But this hasn’t worked, because Sadiq has reached far beyond what is necessary, and shown his intention. To act, not just talk.
Sadiq Khan has gone on the offensive to marry together a consciousness of the problems at the heart of the party, with a sincerity to do something about them.
Whether he would act on those feelings is obviously unknown, but he has certainly been more proactive and determined than his Tory opponent.
At Tuesday’s Jewish News hustings, he repeated his commitment to fighting anti-Semitism, with a focus on his own party. He suggested senior members of Labour’s NEC should be trained in identifying it.
His approach has been to woo the community, and it’s not been easy. In reaching out in this way, he’s faced a lot of criticism.
One only has to look through his Facebook and Twitter accounts when he links to activities such as visiting Golders Green or the CST, before hatred bubbles to the surface. Allegations of cozying up to ‘Zionists’, and ‘the Jews’ are plentiful.
He’s engaging, putting his own neck on the line, and saying how he’d tackle problems, and what has our response been?
It’s been to push him away.
Claiming the relationship between the community was under ‘deep strain’, Board of Deputies president Jonathan Arkush said in an interview last month: “Frankly most people in the Jewish community can’t trust Labour”, ahead of the mayoral elections.
He said, this was in spite of the fact that “Sadiq Khan, I say straight away, is a good candidate, who has done everything he could to distance himself from the far Left.”
In other words, whatever Sadiq does, he’ll always be tainted. There’s a ball and chain on his foot.
It’s time to face the facts.
We have a problem with Labour because of multi-layered trust issues. Sadiq has un-bashfully tried to tackle them, and is not one of the problems we have.
It makes no sense to dismiss him simply because of his party.
If you’re unsure of who to vote for, bear in mind that we can only heal the relationship, if we recognise our friends and foes.
Sadiq has proactively tried to fix the relationship problems, and it’s important he is not arbitrarily pushed away.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
