Starmer brought change to Labour that many thought was impossible

In 2020, when Keir Starmer was elected as Leader of the Labour Party, taking over from Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party had suffered one of its worst electoral defeats – partly due to the antisemitism crisis that had taken root and Corbyn’s inability to solve it.

The Party that Keir Starmer inherited from Corbyn is a far cry from the one that it is today.

Now National Secretary of the Jewish Labour Movement, the Labour Party’s Jewish affiliate, I was its member of staff from 2019 to 2023, seeing the transformation firsthand.

When I began as JLM staff in 2019, the BBC’s Panorama documentary into Labour antisemitism had aired, the Equality and Human Rights Commission had begun its investigation into the Labour Party, and Jews in the UK faced an existential choice at the ballot box by December when the General Election took place.

The Jewish community felt isolated and ignored by the official opposition and many of our members had resigned from the Labour Party. The country took notice of the turmoil and rejected Corbyn’s Labour.

When Keir Starmer became Leader, the challenge in front of him was immense. Labour had a mountain to climb in order to return to government. And one of those challenges was the scourge of antisemitism that had infected our Party.

Keir recognised this as a moral challenge, a mission that he took seriously, using his first speech as Leader to apologise to the Jewish community.

What came next was hard graft and real leadership. Keir talked about zero-tolerance for antisemitism and meant it. The Labour Party’s complaints process, which had been totally ineffective and misused, was reformed.

Comprehensive training on antisemitism from JLM was brought in for Parliamentarians, staff, councillors and members. Antisemites were kicked out and local parties were given clear guidance about what was and wasn’t appropriate discussions.

Proper vetting procedures for candidates were introduced. Jewish members who had left returned – including Luciana Berger and Louise Ellman. This was wholesale reform that tackled the problem from the grassroots of the Labour Party to the very top.

It took time to rebuild the trust that was lost, but Jewish voters returned to Labour at the 2024 General Election, with seats like Finchley & Golders Green, Hendon and Chipping Barnet changing hands. Looking back on the 2019 General Election, JLM had scaled back campaigning to a minimum of seats where we wanted our Jewish MPs and allies to hold their constituencies.

In 2024, we had the joy of campaigning around the country and seeing many of our members return to the doorstep once more.

At a time when the Jewish community in the UK has never felt more vulnerable, Keir Starmer and his Government has taken vital steps to tackle antisemitism.

Increasing funding for CST, setting out reforms to our policing, policies to tackle antisemitism in the NHS and the education sector, steps to deal with foreign state actors and a comprehensive social cohesion strategy.

The next Prime Minister will inherit these foundations.

The Labour Party that the new Leader will take leadership of, is one that did not come about by chance. It took Keir Starmer’s zero-tolerance policy, leadership and commitment to rid it of antisemitism.

The Jewish Labour Movement will hold to account all candidates who put themselves forward to ensure the Party does not go backwards.

To look back at the Labour Party that Keir Starmer took over in 2020, to the one he will now pass on to a new Leader, is to see change that many thought was impossible. We owe Keir Starmer our thanks.