Largest education union accuses Farage of ‘scapegoating Muslims and Jews’
The National Education Union's annual conference in Harrogate also included motions condemning Israel and in support of the Palestinians
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
The largest education union in the country has passed a motion labelling Reform UK as “racist and far-right” and who are “scapegoating Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs.”
Delegates at the annual conference of the National Education Union (NEU) also called for the union’s political fund to be used to help campaign against Reform UK election candidates whose policies and campaigns were “racist”.
A motion, passed by delegates at the conference on Tuesday, said it believes Reform UK is a “racist and far-right party because of its policies around immigration and its campaigns against migrants”.
It said Nigel Farage’s party“seek to build on the despair, poverty and alienation in our society by scapegoating refugees, asylum seekers, Muslims, Jews and others who do not fit their beliefs”.
Daniel Kebede, general secretary of the NEU, has repeatedly faced criticism of pursuing an extreme anti-Israel agenda that has infuriated many Jewish members, particularly in the aftermath of the October 7 Hamas massacre.
In 2021, Kebede appeared at a pro-Palestine rally in Newcastle and told those in attendance “it’s about time we globalise the intifada.”
At this year’s NEU conference in Harrogate another motion on Israel was passed by delegates.
Commenting on the motion’s repeated condemnation of Israel’s war in Gaza, Kebede did stress the need for the hostages still held by Hamas to be released.
He said:“Over the past 16 months, the NEU has called repeatedly for a ceasefire in Gaza and for the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
“We have watched in horror as Israel’s deadly attacks on Gaza have resumed, hostages have remained in captivity and attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank have escalated.
“The NEU works with trade unions around the world on access to education, addressing teacher shortages and education in conflict zones. These issues are acute and urgent in Palestine. 17,400 children have been killed during Israel’s war on Gaza and access to learning for other young people destroyed.”
In an amendment to a motion on Palestine, delegates at the conference also backed a proposal to “affiliate with the ‘Disarm Education’ campaign advocating for schools and colleges to publicly commit to end or prohibit careers collaborations and partnerships with arms companies”.
In another sign of the union’s often disproportionate focus the Middle East, figures for the NEU’s International Solidarity Fund showed nearly £300, 000 earmarked for Palestine, with £40 to a Send My Friend To School initiative.
Speaking to media at the annual conference Kebede renewed his attack on Reform UK.
“I think there’s an awful lot of racists who are getting involved in Reform,” he said.
“I think Nigel Farage is a right-wing populist.”
He also labelled Farage a “pound shop Donald Trump.”
When asked about the union’s stance on Reform UK at a press conference in County Durham on Tuesday afternoon, Farage accused the NEU leader of being a “self-declared Marxist” who he claimed was determined that “children should be poisoned at school” about everything to do with the country.
The Reform UK leader said: “He is encouraging literally indoctrination of teenagers in our schools by telling kids that Reform is a racist party.”
Farage added: “If we win the 2029 General Election we will go to war with the National Education Union and all the left-wing teaching unions”.
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.
