Jewish lawyer resigns over link to abusive Twitter account
Daniel Bennett left Doughty Street Chambers over ties to the @arrytuttle social media profile which reportedly sent abuse to antisemitism campaigners
A Jewish barrister who part-operated an anonymous Twitter handle supportive of Jeremy Corbyn and dismissive of Labour antisemitism claims has resigned from his London chambers following complaints.
Daniel Bennett left Doughty Street Chambers after admitting he breached the barristers’ code of conduct owing to offensive and abusive posts sent from the @arrytuttle account.
The account user described themselves as “the wrong kind of Jew, apparently” and said Jew-hatred in the Labour Party was a “war largely against leftist Jews” and “not about antisemitism”.
Last month the account was deleted and Bennett apologised publicly to two other Jewish lawyers who he had offended – commercial barrister David Wolfson QC, with whom he went to school, and human rights barrister Adam Wagner.
Wagner, also of Doughty Street, said he was “shocked” to learn that @arrytuttle was in part operated by Bennett, after his involvement was revealed by another anonymous Twitter account, @TwelveScouts.
Among the accusations levelled at Wagner by the @arrytuttle account was that he was “thick as pigsh*t,” a “lying propogandist” and a “hater of leftist Jews” hired to “get Corbyn”.
On Tuesday, Wagner said Bennett had resigned from Doughty Street for “waging a campaign of anonymous harassment and abuse against me and others involved in the Labour antisemitism issue”.
Several barristers, including Wagner, had complained to the chambers last month, prompting Bennett to offer a “fulsome apology,” admit to breaches of the code and tender his resignation, which was accepted.
Wagner urged Twitter users not to send abusive messages to Bennett online, saying “two wrongs do not make a right,” adding that it had already been “an extremely distressing experience”.
He said: “I get a lot of this kind of abuse from anonymous accounts but to find out this was happening in my workplace is something else.”
I said I would give an update on Daniel Bennett and the @arrytuttle account. I can now confirm that he has resigned from Doughty Street Chambers following complaints. He has admitted a breach of our code of conduct. (thread)
— Adam Wagner (@AdamWagner1) August 20, 2019
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.
