Luciana Berger makes emotional return to Labour Party conference
Labour First director Luke Akehurst was also moved to tears at Sunday's conference fringe event are he berated the 'extreme-left' for their 'monstrous' defence of Hamas as 'good guys' after the slaughter in Israel
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Emotional Luciana Berger has returned to Labour Party conference in the city where she stood as an MP before being hounded out admitting;“This is not the party that I left.”
The former Wavertree MP had rejoined Labour in February this year, having resigned in in 2019 in protest at Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, after receiving what she described as an “incredibly heartfelt” invitation from Keir Starmer.
Attending her first Labour conference in Liverpool since she requiring police protection under the former leader, Berger fought back the tears as she told a fringe rally; “It means so much to be here. This is the first rally that I’m speaking at Labour Party conference this year.
“If you’d have asked me a few years ago, if we’d be where we are today, I’d have said it was an incredible challenge, a mountain to climb and just to see the numbers of people in this room and where the party has got to … this is not the party that I left.
“This is not the conference that I was at for the last time five years ago. Also, sadly, with police support. It is a very different conference and, more importantly, it’s a very different party.
“It’s the party that I joined as a wide-eyed, ideological student that came to the Labour Party because of the values of the Labour Party and what are our values?”
Berger added:”“Our values are about equality for all, our values are about anti-racism against all and fighting against all forms of those racism.
“It’s all credited I think, to Labour First but also to Keir Starmer, who’s shown the leadership has really done everything necessary to turn our party around.”
She also paid tribute to the organisers of Sunday event, the pro-Starmer Labour First organisation, for the support through “dark times.”
The packed rally also saw Baroness Anderson and Labour First secretary Luke Akehurst directly reference the horrific events in Israel.
Akehurst, a long-time pro-Israel voice, both in Labour, and in his role with the grassroots We Believe In Israel organisation, launched an outspoken attack on the “monstrous” extreme-left who he noted had responded to slaughter of hundreds of innocent Israelis by “celebrating.”
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Overcome with emotion as he spoke, Akehurst continued:”Celebrating, celebrating what Hamas is doing..
“What is the morality of politics that involves looking at the slaughter of 500 civilians, women and children shot dead at bus stops, or in their homes, and their morality says Hamas are the good guys…
Akehurst continued:”There are people who I met, with Labour Party people this summer, (on a fact-finding trip to the region), I don’t know if these people are alive.”
His comments were met with loud applause from those in attendance, including delegates of all faiths.
Baroness Anderson was also given another standing ovation as she spoke spoke at the same event, telling the audience to show “love” to young attendees from the Jewish Labour Movement, who were at conference for the first time, but hurting over the massacre of Israelis by Hamas.
In another passionate speech, Labour NEC member Gurinder Singh, who has overseen the successful sanctions of hundreds of antisemites in the party, through his role on disciplinary panels, warned that there must be not let up in the fight against both anti-Jewish racism and the hard-left.
Meanwhile fellow NEC member Abdi Duale, again outspoken in the fight against antisemitism and all forms of racism in the party, told attendees that with the party now on election footing the language and conduct used by everyone in the forthcoming months was now all important.
Earlier Labour leader Starmer and shadow health secretary Wes Streeting were among the senior MPs in the party to do the morning media round and stress the party’s position on Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas terrorist atrocities.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper was also loudly applauded as she spoke.
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