Jewish councillor resigns from Barnet Council and leaves Labour Group
By-election will be held in Whetstone after the shock resignation
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
A Jewish Labour councillor in Whetstone has resigned from Barnet Council in mysterious circumstances and is also understood to no longer be a member of the party.
Liron Velleman triumphed in the north London seat during Labour’s dramatic 2022 local election victory in Barnet, and was an outspoken voice in the fight against antisemitism in the party under Jeremy Corbyn.
But in a shock development, Velleman is understood to have quit this week after it emerged he had been removed from the Barnet Labour Group.
A by-election in the Whetstone ward will now take place, but the date has yet to be confirmed.
Sources told Jewish News the surprise move was “not down to any political reasons”, but they remained tight-lipped about what had prompted the development.
Velleman has been an influential figure with the Jewish Labour Movement, and had been elected into the Whetstone seat alongside Ella Rose-Jacobs, in a clear sign of Labour’s renewed popularity with Jewish voters in north London under the leadership of Keir Starmer.
The local Barnet Post newspaper noted that until Tuesday, Velleman had been described on his profile on X (formerly Twitter) as head of politics at the Community trade union.
As of Wednesday, both this job role and his position as Whetstone councillor have been removed from the profile with just “Arsenal FC, Sussex CCC, tennis fan” remaining.
Jewish News has approached Velleman and London Labour for comment.
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