Manchester mayor: It’s ‘inconceivable’ Labour is embroiled in antisemitism row
Andy Burnham tells Board of deputies meeting that his support for Jeremy Corbyn is “not unconditional”.
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has told a Jewish audience that it is “inconceivable” that the Labour Party should have problems with antisemitism and that his support for Jeremy Corbyn is “not unconditional”.
Burnham, who hails from the Party’s centre-left, was speaking at a Board of Deputies meeting at Manchester Town Hall on Sunday as the city celebrated 100 years since the founding of its Jewish Representative Council.
He said: “It is inconceivable to me that a party which has prided itself on its record on racism could have become in embroiled in an antisemitism crisis. Racism needs to be dealt with firmly, quickly and decisively. I’m afraid that this hasn’t been the response so far and I hope from this point forward this has been understood.”
Answering a question from the floor, Burnham said that Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn did still have his support “but that support is not unconditional or unchallenged”.
The Town Hall was followed by Friday night dinner at Prestwich Hebrew Congregation, with Board president Marie van der Zyl saying: “The vibrant Jewish community of Manchester is hugely respected throughout the city and the strength of its institutions is a matter of great pride.”
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.
