Two young Jewish activists selected by Labour to stand in Whetstone

Two young Jewish activists have been selected to stand as Labour candidates in the newly created Whetstone ward at next May’s Barnet Council election.

Ella Rose and Liron Velleman were both confirmed as candidates after a local Barnet Labour selection meeting took place on Monday evening.

Former Union of Jewish Students president Rose previously won plaudits for her spell as Jewish Labour Movement director at the height of the antisemitism crisis under Jeremy Corbyn.

She said she was “honoured” to be selected to stand in Whetstone, with the Labour leadership openly targeting Barnet as a council they want to take from the Conservatives in local elections taking place across the UK.

Velleman is the current JLM policy officer and after his selection was confirmed he tweeted:”Can’t wait to campaign alongside Ella Rose.

“Two young Jewish Labour candidates ready to win the ward.”

Barnet has been Conservative controlled since 1964, except for a couple of brief spells in which no one party had a majority.

Dan Thomas, leader of the council, told Jewish News last week that he believed Barnet Labour was still “rife” with antisemites.

Barnet Labour leader Barry John Rowlings suggested his Group had led the way in fighting the anti-Jewish racism that infested the party under Corbyn.

His party are planning to field at least 10 Jewish candidates across the borough.

But Thomas said: “Starmer clams to be addressing antisemitism but it is still rife within the local Labour Party.”

Barnet’s electoral boundaries have been re-drawn ahead of the May poll, leading to the creation of new wards such as Whetstone.