Jewish Labour Movement blames party leadership for loss, laments defeat of chair Smeeth

The Jewish Labour Movement issues a statement blaming the party’s leadership for the landslide Conservative victory in the British election.

“Labour’s failure in this election lies squarely with the Party’s leadership. Because of the public’s rejection of Corbyn as Prime Minister, the confused position on Brexit, or its total failure to tackle anti-Jewish racism, the Party must truly listen,” the statement reads.

“We are distraught that our courageous Parliamentary Chair, Ruth Smeeth, was not re-elected. Ruth has represented the best of Labour over these past few years — unafraid and determined to hold the Party’s leadership accountable for their failure to tackle antisemitism despite the abuse she’s faced. Her loss to the Parliamentary Labour Party will be felt by the entire Labour movement.”

Smeeth was elected to the Stoke-on-Trent North seat in 2015; it has been held by Labour since its creation in 1950.

A member of Labour Friends of Israel, Smeeth was elected Parliamentary Chair of the Jewish Labour Movement in April this year.