OPINION: Thanks to Keir, Labour Jews can now debate more than just antisemitism
Ahead of the Jewish Labour Movement's fourth conference, chair Mike Katz reflects on the massive changes in the party since 2018
This Sunday potentially marks a pivotal sea-change for the Jewish Labour Movement.
In 2020 we held our last conference virtually and attracted over 800 attendees, whilst in 2018 we welcomed 500 people to JW3 to hear from former Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
The political change on the left we have seen since we last met in person for this event has been massive. Back in September 2018, we were at the height of Labour’s antisemitism crisis. We met as a group marginalised and ostracised by the Labour establishment under Jeremy Corbyn, seeking a safe space to discuss how – if – we could weather the storm. At the same time, many family and friends in our community wondered why we were still affiliated to the Party.
Well, we have weathered the storm and emerged stronger and revitalised. The difference in our experience under Labour leader Keir Starmer is like night and day. The pace and strength with which he has acted to demonstrate zero tolerance of antisemitism has underlined his level of commitment.
We now feel safe, secure and confident about our place as progressive Jews within Labour and can join together to discuss our ideas and aspirations for our community, for social justice here and abroad, and to the Party to help win power and govern effectively.
This Conference is an expression of our confidence and desire to look to the future. We are being joined by members and supporters from across the country, and by speakers from across the world. Yes, we will be discussing antisemitism on the left – having fought so hard on this, we will never stop being vigilant, nor stop speaking out. Lord John Mann, Panorama’s John Ware and Margaret Hodge MP will be leading our debate here.
But, as progressives, we care about all the issues that the rest of the community – indeed, the country – cares about. Social care, policing, the environment, peace and prosperity. We will be welcoming Shadow Health & Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell, Shadow Justice Secretary Steve Reed and former Labour Foreign Secretary David Miliband to discuss what a progressive agenda for Labour to win power should look like.
And as we see the most right-wing, extremist Government in Israel taking office, we will of course be discussing the future of the left in Israel, with Israeli Labor Leader Merav Michaeli MK, and former Meretz MK Mossi Raz. This new Government looks set to be hugely consequential for Jewish communities across the diaspora; we will be talking about this with former and Jewish Democrats’ Executive Director Halie Sofer (a former National Security Advisor to US Vice-President Kamala Harris); and how we shape Labour’s agenda for peace with Shadow Middle East minister Bambos Charalambos and speakers from Labour Friends of Israel and Yachad.
A joke we often shared during Labour’s dark days was when we could return to being a ‘boring old Socialist Society’. Whilst we will never be boring, our members fought tooth and nail to assert their values as socialist Zionists and feel confident that Labour is once again their political home.
Now is the time to shape our way ahead, and create a lasting agenda for political change which will exemplify how we believe Jewish values are Labour values, and bring more Jews back to Labour. Sunday’s Conference will lay the foundations of that future.
- Mike Katz has been National Chair of JLM since 2019
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