A big debate took place this afternoon amongst members of Jewish Voice for Labour (JVL) over whether it should change its name—perhaps to Jewish Voice for the Left, which was the preferred alternative for some. I’m not Jewish, so am a ‘solidarity’ member of JVL—as an atheist humanist I find JVL’s contribution to left, secular political debate almost unique in its depth and tolerance. In other words, its Jewish members might be called the wrong type of Jew by the many ardent Zionists who conflate ethnicity with political ideology. In the end, a vote by a large majority decided there should be no name change, not because members are infatuated with Starmer’s dictatorship but because there is a purpose and a need for an intelligent left organisation to associate itself with and critique the party as the need arises (which it always does). In my brief contribution I pointed out that if it changed its name, i.e. to Jewish Voice of the Left (‘The’ Left or the Left?) it may wish to support independent election candidates of the left, which would result in its automatic proscription by the party, thus forcing party members to leave one or other organisation. Either way that would be a victory for the Starmeroids. It’s curious that something once called a ‘broad church’ has now become more like a bland managerial leadership cult, but as long as groups like JVL survive, the party will always have its conscience pricked. I doubt the Labour Party’s conscience has ever been pricked by the ‘57 Varieties,’ the name given to the multitude of ineffectual ‘left’ splinter groups.
Not unrelated to the above is today’s story that Rishi Sunak failed to back the Metropolitan Police Commissioner after it was revealed a local copper had prevented somebody who ‘obviously looked Jewish’ from attempting to cross the road near Aldwych—just as a pro-Palestinian march was passing by. The copper had politely suggested that such an act might be ‘provocative.’ I would dare to suggest that that was exactly what our observant friend was hoping for, since by pure accident the individual just turned out to be Gideon Falter, head of the ‘Campaign Against Anti-Semitism.’ Just to add a bit or irony to this story, I spotted this in the Telegraph: “On the question of resignation of the Met chief, Ms Coutinho [a government minister, as if you didn’t know] said: “I think what happened was completely wrong. It’s not right that one group of people in society should be told that they can’t go around their daily lives because it might be a provocation to someone else. That’s not how equality works in this country.” Recent government legislation has of course made the mere possibility of provoking somebody else a criminal offence. Clearly only certain people. It might also be noted that the pro-Palestinian rallies have been peaceful and respectful, if not to the taste of the likes of Gideon Falter, who nevertheless must be very pleased with the level of publicity he has generated (even if he didn't get beaten up by a rabid mob).
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