Shapps appointment as Home Secretary greeted with ‘dog-whistle globalist’ slurs
Former BBYO president Grant Shapps new ministerial role sparks a wave of attacks from right-wing commentators who accuse the Jewish MP of being part of a 'globalist coup'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Grant Shapps appointment as home secretary of the Tory Party has been greeted with widespread use the “globalist” slur against him.
Shapps was confirmed as the first Jewish home secretary in 30 years during a turbulent day for the Liz Truss led Conservatives on Wednesday, where he replaced the out-going Suella Braverman.
But news of the appointment provoked claims of a “globalist coup” from both far-right commentators and former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.
The word “globalist” can be used to describe someone who believes that economic and foreign policy should be planned in an international way, but it has also become a code word for those who believe in antisemitic conspiracy theories, who use the term as a replacement for saying “Jewish.”
Guardian deputy political editor Jessica Elgot was amongst those to state she was left “deeply uncomfortable with Shapps, who is Jewish, being described by prominent commentators.”
Her tweet followed claims made by the GB News presenters Dan Wootton, and by Farage, who also appears on the channel that Shapps appointment was part of a “globalist coup.”
Definitely fine that all these people have decided to call this a "globalist coup"! In no way dangerous rhetoric informed by a century of antisemitic conspiracy theories! pic.twitter.com/6aMtY1WRjB
— Tom Phillips (@flashboy) October 19, 2022
Right-wing host Wootton wrote:”The globalist remoaner coup continues. The excellent and brave home secretary Suella Braverman is being replaced by Grant Shapps….This is an anti-democratic disgrace. Shame on Liz Truss. We backed you to keep them out…”
Accepting he did not like using the word “globalist” Farage proceeded to use it to describe Braverman’s exit, and Shapps appointment.
Claudia Mendoza, co-chair of the Jewish Leadership Council, later tweeted:”Nigel Farage knows that Grant Shapps is Jewish. He also knows that the term ‘globalist’ is an anti Jewish dog whistle. That he chose that particular pejorative says it all.”
Catherine McKinnell, the Labour MP who chairs the all-party parliamentary group against antisemitism, said: “Calling a Jewish man a ‘globalist’ plays into age-old antisemitic conspiracism. Some people will know this and do so deliberately, others may be naive, but there is no excuse for it whatsoever.
“No one in public life should be using language that perpetuates racist anti-Jewish tropes. It’s as simple as that.”
One former Tory Party parliamentary candidate also expressed concern about the term “being banded about tonight about Grant Shapps.
The Jewish One Nation Tory group sympathiser, who tweets under the name @enduringrich added the globalist slurs were “clearly dog-whistle antisemitism.”
Linking its use to those who had enthusiastically backed Brexit, he added “wasn’t the point of Brexit for the UK to become more global.”
The infamous “alt-right” commentator Paul Joseph Watson was another to resort to using the term “globalist”.
He tweeted:”The Conservative Party merely threatens to implement mildly conservative policies and within the space of about 2 weeks they’ve all be replaced and the party is decimated. Shows you who really controls things. Globalist coup.”
New Union of Jewish Students president Joel Rosen wrote:”Describing the appointment of Grant Shapps- a Jewish Home Secretary – as a ‘globalist coup’ is antisemitic.
“For centuries, Jews have been accused of being loyal to global conspiracy & disloyal to their home countries. Irresponsible pundits are rehashing a historic trope.
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