Buzz as Britain’s Oldest Jewish Newspaper Pleads not to Vote for ‘Anti-Semite Corbyn’

An anti-Labour editorial in The Jewish Chronicle follows Jeremy Corbyn’s assertions to The Guardian that Jews have nothing to fear should his party claim a majority in a new December Parliament.

Britain’s oldest Jewish newspaper, The Jewish Chronicle, has published an editorial on its front page calling on “our fellow British citizens” not to vote for Jeremy Corbyn in the 12 December national vote, agreed upon last week.

Here's our front page this week - addressed not to our usual readers but to our fellow British citizens pic.twitter.com/7K5qi8GhBJ

— The Jewish Chronicle (@JewishChron) November 7, 2019

The piece suggested the “vast majority of British Jews consider Corbyn to be an anti-Semite” highlighting a “most recent poll, last month” that said the figure stood at 87%.

The editorial went on remark the same poll found that nearly half of British Jews would “seriously consider” emigrating if Corbyn wins on 12 December - something that “will give you an indication of what it feels like to be a British Jew at a time when the official opposition is led by a man widely held to be an anti-Semite”, the story went on.

“How can the racist views of a party leader — and the deep fear he inspires among an ethnic minority — not be among the most fundamental of issues?” the editorial’s authors queried.

To illustrate their point, the journalists brought up Hamas, “whose founding charter commits it to the extermination of every Jew on the planet”, recounting that Corbyn had referred to the group as “friends”.

“We believe that the overwhelming majority of British people abhor racism. We ask only that, when you cast your vote, you act on that”, the editorial concluded, with many reposting the story on Twitter and weighing in on the criticism:

You guys will win!

This country will never allow an Anti Semite like Corbyn to govern. Make England proud! #BackBoris

— Wayne #DontVoteLabour (@WayneLop) November 7, 2019

I still find it hard to comprehend that antisemitsm in the Labour Party has reached such a point that this is needed. The fact it is says all you need to know about the institutionally Anti-Semitic Labour Party. A vote for Corbyn is a vote for an Anti Semite. #GeneralElection2019 pic.twitter.com/fHlRDfQGZO

— Nathan K (@nathanlufc1234) November 7, 2019

87% of British jews see Jeremy Corbyn as an anti-semite, while 47% would consider leaving the UK if he were PM.

What has the state of our politics descended to? It's imperative that we return a Conservative majority, and more importantly, keep Labour on the opposition benches https://t.co/VJB2KpA240

— Jack Pollard 🇬🇧 (@JackPollardUK) November 7, 2019

… while some recalled Corbyn’s denial of anti-Semitism, implying it is all about an ongoing smear campaign against him:

I will #VoteLabour2019. My grandmother's family fled Russia due to the pogroms against Jews. My Aunt's family died in a concentration camp. Jeremy Corbyn is not an Anti-Semite & has spoken out against it many times.

— antonia berelson #voteLabour (@aberel) October 31, 2019

Corbyn is not an anti Semite

— Linda Craig (@loadofmince) November 2, 2019

UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said Sunday that British Jews have nothing to fear if his party wins the upcoming election, amid reports that many members of the Jewish community would consider leaving the country should this happen.

Asked about The Jewish Chronicle front page story, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell asserted that the party’s response to the anti-Semitism allegations had been “rapid and at times ruthless”.

Nonetheless, Luciana Berger, a former Labour MP who exited it over anti-Semitism and is now a Liberal Democrat candidate, struck back saying the response is “sickening on many levels”.