Jewish Labour candidate fails in Labour NEC election bid

A Jewish candidate has failed in her bid to be elected on to Labour’s governing body.

Rhea Wolfson required the support of her home Constituency Labour Party to appear on the ballot for the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party, but was rejected on Tuesday night.

Writing on Facebook, she said former Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy “appealed to the [Eastwood] CLP to not nominate me… due to my endorsement by Momentum, which he claimed has a problem with anti-Semitism”.

She added that it was “hugely disappointing” because “I am the only Jewish candidate in this election, and “the wide range of organisations endorsing me includes the Jewish Labour Movement”. She added that she has a “long record of challenging anti-Semitism”.

Wolfson also said she was was disappointed because “I know there are many members who want to vote for me, who could now have lost that opportunity. I am considering my options going forward.”

Rhea could have replaced Ken Livingstone on the party’s left slate, who is ineligible to stand following his suspension for suggesting Hitler supporting Zionism

Rhea Wolfson, 25 has previously worked as outreach director for the New Israel Fund, is co-chair of Scottish young Socialists and women’s officer at Scottish Young Labour.