Left-wing outlet apologises over antisemitism panel segment

A left-wing outlet has been forced to apologise over a segment accusing Labour’s new antisemitism board of not being “anti-racist.”

Novara Media, a Corbynite outlet, aired the discussion last Wednesday on members of Labour’s antisemitism advisory board where its commissioning editor Rivkah Brown made the allegations.

Brown, who also edits Jewish media platform Vashti, later said she believed the majority of the panel would set back the fight against racism in the party by “lightyears.”

Novara Media has this week issued a correction, and the clip appears to have been deleted from social media.

Speaking on the TskySour podcast, host Michael Walker apologised for Brown’s comments in relation to the Jewish Leadership Council’s joint chief executive and a former JLC board member.

“It was mentioned that members of the JLC believe that the concept of Islamophobia is moronic,” said Walker of the segment. 

“That was a reference to a specific tweet by a specific person, Claudia Mendoza, who is co-chief executive of the JLC.

“She tweeted a quote from Sam Harris that Islamophobia was a word created by fascists and used by cowards to manipulate morons.

“Of course, such a statement has no bearing on the beliefs of (former JLC board member) Leo Noe and we apologise if such an inference could have been drawn.”

Other board members had previously told of their anger at the clip, with Mark Gardner of Community Security Trust telling Jewish News: “If anybody is surprised by this, they obviously weren’t paying attention to Labour’s antisemitism problem.”

Ms Brown, who has been contacted for comment by Jewish News, said on social media: “I’ve definitely succumbed to the temptation of antagonism and vitriol this week – and to be honest, I have regrets.”

She added she believed it was “counter-productive” to over-focus on individuals of the board.