Jewish human rights groups back Tory Islamophobia probe

Jewish groups have backed a call for an investigation into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party after 14 members were suspended this week.

The Black Asian Jewish Alliance (BAJA) and Jewish Council for Racial Equality (JCORE) said it was important for all political parties to have “robust and transparent procedures to deal with all forms of racism including antisemitism, Islamophobia and anti-Black racism”.

JCORE director Edie Friedman said: “We in the Jewish community know only too well what it means to be the victims of racism. It is important that we stand in solidarity with members of other communities who are also facing discrimination and victimisation.”

The Conservative Party has been called “institutionally Islamophobic” in recent days, echoing a charge made by Luciana Berger MP last month when she called Labour “institutionally antisemitic” in her resignation speech.

In a statement, BAJA said “the lack of education and understanding about racism, in all our political parties, is particularly dangerous at a time when the far right is again growing in strength,” citing recent reports from Hope not Hate and Tell MAMA.

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