Jewish Labour Movement

The organisation's aim is stated as "To organise and maintain a political movement of Jewish people within the UK Labour Party and the international labour movement".

Full membership is open to Jewish people, while non-Jewish supporters can apply for ally membership. Only full members are eligible for a vote in JLM processes and internal elections. Members of parties which oppose the Labour Party in elections are ineligible for membership.{{cite web |url=https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/jewishlabour/pages/565/attachments/original/1511347177/20112015_-_JLM_Rules_-_V6_-_Clean_Copy.pdf?1511347177 |title=Jewish Labour Movement Rules |publisher=Jewish Labour Movement |date=January 2016 |access-date=23 April 2019}}

The values of the JLM are centred around a connection between socialism, the Labour Party and socialist Zionism, and the values which are espoused by these movements, including international peace and cooperation, social justice, equality and freedom. This doctrine is enshrined in the organisation's constitution and values, which state their values as including 'international peace and cooperation,' 'democratic socialism in the UK and Israel, 'the application of 'Jewish ethical principles to create a society based on social justices and a sustainable environment', 'to promote the centrality of Israel in Jewish life' and opposition to 'fascist, racist and anti-Semitic groups.'{{Cite web|url=https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/jewishlabour/pages/565/attachments/original/1511347177/20112015_-_JLM_Rules_-_V6_-_Clean_Copy.pdf?1511347177|title=Jewish Labour Movement constitution|date=January 2016|access-date=8 December 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.jewishlabour.uk/what_is_the_jewish_labour_movement|title=What is the Jewish Labour Movement?|website=The Jewish Labour Movement|language=en|access-date=2019-12-08}}

The origins of Poale Zion in Britain were in the Ma'aravi ("Western") Society, formed in London in 1902 by Jewish socialist journalist Kalman Marmor, under the influence of the Eastern European Labour Zionist movement led by Marxist theorist Ber Borochov.Alderman, Geoffrey Modern British Jewry, Clarendon Press, 1998, p. 175. Branches of Poale Zion were formed in London and Leeds in 1903/04 and 1905 respectively,Cohen, Stuart A. English Zionists and British Jews: The Communal Politics of Anglo-Jewry, 1895–1920 Princeton University Press, p. 59-60.Fishman, William. East End Jewish Radicals London: Duckworth 1975 p. 306. and in Manchester and Liverpool by 1906. Two branches were formed in London, one by the garment workers union, one by the Independent Cabinet Makers Union.Alderman, p. 76. A permanent headquarters was opened in Whitechapel in February 1904, and a nationwide organisation was launched at a conference in Manchester in 1906.Mendes, p. 217.Alderman, p. 74.

Poale Zion was active in Britain during World War I, under the leadership of J Pomeranz and Morris Meyer, and influential on the British labour movement, including on the drafting (by Sidney Webb and Arthur Henderson) of the Labour Party’s War Aims Memorandum, recognising the "right of return" of Jews to Palestine, a document which preceded the Balfour Declaration by three months.Gorny, chapter 1. In this period, it published the periodical Jewish Labour Correspondence.{{cite book|title=The pogroms in Poland and Lithuania: Special number of the Jewish Labour Correspondence|publisher=Jewish Socialist Labour Confederation Poale-Zion|location=London|date=1919|oclc=36475651}}

After World War I, Poale Zion published several pamphlets in Yiddish and a Yiddish journal, Undzer Veg. Shlomo Kaplansky collaborated with the Independent Labour Party in setting up the Vienna International of socialist parties.

In mid-1920, the World Union of Poale Zion in Vienna set up a Poale Zion office in London, led by Shlomo Kaplansky and David Ben-Gurion. The office was in rooms in Petticoat Lane, where Moshe Sharett worked part-time translating Yiddish into English. They built contacts with both Labour and the Independent Labour Party,Gorny, p. 27. and succeeded in becoming affiliated to the British Labour Party in 1920 under the name of The Jewish Socialist Labour Party, claiming membership of 3,000, although actual membership was a few hundred. One issue that they tried to influence policy on was the northern border of Palestine which was being decided at the San Remo conference. They hoped that it would be extended as far as the Litani River. They had only limited success in influencing Labour Party Middle East policy and the office closed in March 1921.Teveth, Shabtai (1987) Ben-Gurion. The Burning Ground. 1886–1948. Houghton Mifflin. {{ISBN|0-395-35409-9}}. pp. 169, 172, 174–5, 177.Gorny, p. 25. However, party leader Ramsay MacDonald was influenced by PZ, who would publish his pamphlet A Socialist in Palestine (1922) documenting his visit to Palestine.Nelson� Ian Martin (2008) "The British New Labour Party and Political Zionism: Continuity of an essential dilemma", thesis, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: https://etheses.dur.ac.uk/1940/ p/73

In 1923, Leah L'Estrange Malone became the organisation's first female chair.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/comment/comment/actually-dealing-with-labour-antisemitism-would-endanger-jeremy-corbyn-s-lifelong-dream-1.472832?highlight=poale+zion|title=Actually dealing with Labour antisemitism would endanger Jeremy Corbyn's lifelong dream|last=Rose|first=Ella|date=21 November 2018|access-date=9 April 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}

By 1928, the World Union of Poale Zion claimed to have 1,000 members in the United Kingdom.Labour and Socialist International. [https://books.google.com/books?id=bqElQQAACAAJ Kongress-Protokolle der Sozialistischen Arbeiter-Internationale – B. 3.1 Brüssel 1928]. Glashütten im Taunus: D. Auvermann, 1974. p. IV. 100. World PZ leader Dov Hoz was based in the UK in 1928, and set about reviving and re-organising Poale Zion (Great Britain), including inspiring PZ members to become more active in the mainstream Labour Party.Gorny, p. 54. Young Poale Zion was launched in Bethnal Green, London, in 1928, by Sam Dreen.Rubinstein and Jolles, p. 228.

Poale Zion and Dov Hoz played a crucial role in the 1930 Whitechapel and St Georges by-election, swinging the Jewish vote behind the non-Jewish Labour candidate, James Henry Hall, rather than the Jewish Liberal candidate Barnett Janner.Gorny, chapter 4.

In the 1940s, Poale Zion (Great Britain) claimed a membership of nearly 2,000.

In 1957, Poale Zion played a role in the formation of Labour Friends of Israel,Edmunds with which it continues to work.

In June 1982, Poale Zion formed a Scottish branch, with the MP for East Kilbride, Maurice Miller, becoming its chair.Edmunds, p. 136. In the mid-1980s, PZ claimed a paper membership of 2,000.Silver, Robert. "[http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/15th-december-1984/13/labour-loses-the-jews Labour loses the Jews]", The Spectator 15 December 1984, p. 13. Retrieved 9 April 2019.

Before the Arab-Israeli war of 1967, Poale Zion represented the dominant pro-Zionist view within the British Labour Party. However, as the left became increasingly anti-Zionist, relations with the left of the party were increasingly tense. For instance, in April 1983 women members of Poale Zion were prevented from attending an International Women's Day seminar at the Greater London Council's County Hall, and in 1984 it was proposed that the Labour Party end the connection.{{cite web|last=Oryszczuk|first=Stephen|url=http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/corbyn-backed-motion-to-severe-ties-with-jewish-labour-group/|title=Corbyn backed motion to sever ties with Jewish Labour group|work=Jewish News|date=25 May 2016|access-date=19 January 2018}}

In 1985, Eric Heffer suggested Poale Zion as a model for a black socialist society, as a way for Labour Party Black Sections to represent black and minority members within the party structure.Jeffers, Sydney. "Black Sections in the Labour Party" in Werbner, Pnina and Anwar, Muhammed (eds), Black and Ethnic Leaderships, Routledge, 2009 In the 1990s, PZ affiliated to the Anti-Racist Alliance, a black-led anti-racist movement closely aligned to the Labour Party Black Sections and founded by Marc Wadsworth, and later to its successor the National Assembly Against Racism.Georg Lentze Racial Thinking in the British Labour Party, University of Southampton PhD, p.222

Leading postwar members of Poale Zion included Maurice Orbach;MendesAlderman, p. 101. Samuel Fisher, Baron Fisher of Camden;{{cite web|title=Lord-fisher of Camden Dead at 74|url=https://www.jta.org/1979/10/15/archive/lord-fisher-of-camden-dead-at-74|website=jta.org|publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=15 October 1979|access-date=19 January 2018}} Leo Abse, who set up the Cardiff branch in 1948;Rubinstein and Jolles, p. 13. Mary MikardoEdmunds, p. 137. and Ian Mikardo;Dalyell, Tam, "The Old Left", in Beech, Matt; Hickson, Kevin; Plant, Raymond (eds), The Struggle for Labour's Soul: Understanding Labour's Political Thought Since 1945, Routledge, 2 August 2004, pp. 248–9. Simon Pinner and his son Hayim Pinner, who was president of the youth wing and editor in the 1960s of its paper Jewish Vanguard;Rubinstein and Jolles, p. 756. the brothers Leslie and Harold Lever (Leslie served as chair);Rubinstein and Jolles, p. 298. Percy Sassoon Gourgey, secretary in 1959 and chair 1964–67;Rubinstein and Jolles, p. 364.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/obituary-percy-gourgey-1.5552?highlight=poale+Zion|title=Obituary: Percy Gourgey|date=17 October 2008|access-date=25 August 2019|newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle}} Sidney Goldberg, general secretary at the time of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war; and Eric Moonman, chair in the 1970s.{{cite web|title=News Brief|url=https://www.jta.org/1977/11/08/archive/eric-moonman-has-been-re-elected-chairman-of-the|website=jta.org|publisher=Jewish Telegraphic Agency|date=8 November 1977|access-date=19 January 2018}} Reginald Freeson served as the political secretary of Poale Zion, co-chair and editor of its journal Vanguard in the late 1980s to early 1990s. In the 1990s, Lawrie Nerva was chair. In 2002, Louise Ellman was vice-chair.

Poale Zion (Great Britain) was relaunched as the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) in 2004 in response to changes within global left Zionism during the Second Intifada, with an increased focus on Britain's Jewish community.{{cite news|url=http://www.jlm.org.uk/vanguard/20050301.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070707152455/http://www.jlm.org.uk/vanguard/20050301.pdf|archive-date=2007-07-07|title=The Jewish Labour Movement Manifesto – Spring 2005|access-date=15 October 2019|work=Jewish Vanguard}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jlm.org.uk/cgi-bin/sitetools.cgi?task=servepage&id=1|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070210153102/http://www.jlm.org.uk/cgi-bin/sitetools.cgi?task=servepage&id=1|archive-date=2007-02-10|title=Welcome to the Jewish Labour Movement|last=Ellman|first=Louise|date=1 September 2006|access-date=15 October 2019|publisher=Jewish Labour Movement}} Louise Ellman recounts that the July 2004 'launch at the House of Commons was a highly successful event, with the Israeli Ambassador and the Foreign Office Minister responsible for Middle East matters as guest speakers. Messages of goodwill were delivered from the Prime Minister, the Board of Deputies of British Jews and the World Labour Zionist Movement'. Louise Ellman rose from being vice-chair to chair in 2006, a position she held until 2016.

There were JLM speakers at the official commemorations of the Battle of Cable Street on its 75thElgot, Jessica. "[https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/cable-street-march-remembered-75-years-on-1.28092 Cable Street march remembered 75 years on]" The Jewish Chronicle. 4 October 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2019. and 80th"[http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/corbyn-speaks-of-mothers-role-in-battle-cable-street/ Corbyn speaks of mother’s role in Battle of Cable Street"] Jewish News, 9 October 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2019. anniversaries in 2011 and 2016 respectively.

In the 2015 Labour Party leadership election, JLM nominated Yvette Cooper.[http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/07/which-clps-are-nominating-who-labour-leadership-contest Which CLPs nominated who in the 2015 Labour leadership contest?], New Statesman. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2019.

After ten years in the role, Louise Ellman retired as chair to become Honorary President.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/the-loyalists-standing-their-ground-against-labour-s-tide-of-hate-1.63375?highlight=poale+Zion|title=The loyalists standing their ground against Labour's tide of hate|last=Dysch|first=Marcus|date=7 April 2016|access-date=25 August 2019|newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle}} Her successor, Jeremy Newmark, was a former CEO of the UK's Jewish Leadership Council and a former spokesperson for the previous Chief Rabbi, Jonathan Sacks. He had also stood as a Labour candidate for Parliament in 2017, in Finchley and Golders Green. Sarah Sackman and Mike Katz were elected as Vice-Chairs.{{cite news|url=http://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/ex-jlc-chief-elected-jewish-labour-movement-chair/|title=Ex-JLC chief elected Jewish Labour Movement chair|work=Jewish News|date=10 February 2016|access-date= 9 April 2019}} Sackman had stood as Labour's candidate in the Finchley and Golders Green constituency in the 2015 general election while Katz was selected as a Labour Party candidate in the 2016 London Assembly election. Peter Mason, the former director of London Jewish Forum and a councillor in Ealing, became national secretary. He was also elected to Labour's National Constitutional Committee, which handles disciplinary cases, the first JLM candidate to be elected to a national committee for 20 years. It followed a report by former Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti that recommended a transfer of powers to the NCC.{{cite news|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/jewish-labour-chief-elected-to-partys-constitutional-committee/|title=Jewish Labour chief elected to party's constitutional committee|last=Oryszczuk|first=Stephen|date=27 July 2016|access-date=14 October 2019|work=Jewish News}}

The Jewish Chronicle, observing that '(JLM's) affiliation to Labour as a socialist society means it benefits from inside access to the party's various structures and systems', said that 'Mr Newmark is adamant that, to win the battle, Jews have to remain in the party rather than decamp in the face of Jew-hatred.' Newmark said "There are some people who have left the party. I respect their position and understand it up to a point but I don't agree with it on any level. If you leave a political vacuum, others will come in and fill it. The whole purpose of JLM is to become an organising focus within the party and a space for people who feel Labour is their political home." In March 2016, David Hirsh of Engage, in an article entitled "Jew hate and today's Left", noted that "The Jewish Labour Movement—the old Poale Zion—is emerging as a key organising focus within the Labour Party."{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/comment/comment/jew-hate-and-today-s-left-1.61674?highlight=poale+zion|title=Jew hate and today's Left|last=Hirsh|first=David|date=17 March 2016|access-date=19 October 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}} The JLM was described by The Jewish Chronicle as a 'gathering-place for moderates concerned about the direction the party is taking under Mr Corbyn' and affiliate membership was established for non-Jews. Membership increased to around 1,000 with a "flood" of affiliate members showing their "support and solidarity". The 2016 JLM annual general meeting voted unanimously to adopt a new structure to enable it to increase its engagement inside the Labour Party on a local, regional and national basis. In the 2016 Labour Party leadership election, when MPs unsuccessfully sought to replace Jeremy Corbyn, JLM nominated Owen Smith after over 90% of its members voted for him in an internal ballot.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/92-per-cent-of-jewish-labour-movement-back-owen-smith-for-party-leadership-1.62590|title=92 per cent of Jewish Labour Movement back Owen Smith for party leadership|last=Sugarman|first=Daniel|date=15 August 2016|access-date=15 October 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}} Some commentators{{Who|date=December 2022}} concluded that the revived JLM wished to remove or weaken Corbyn and others sympathetic to the Palestinians.

Young people who had had some success in their early political careers were appointed to a range of roles in the organisation. They included networks officer, Rachel Wenstone, former National Union of Students vice-president; political education officer, Jay Stoll, a senior parliamentary assistant to a Labour MP and former general secretary of the London School of Economics' student union; campaigns officer, Adam Langleben, who had been elected to Barnet Council; and youth and student officer, Liron Velleman, still a student but holding a role in the party's Chipping Barnet branch. In July 2016, Ella Rose was appointed as the organisation's first director.Jackman, Josh. [https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jewish-labour-movement-appoints-first-director-1.60982 "Jewish Labour Movement appoints first director"]. The Jewish Chronicle. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 9 April 2019. Rose was formerly a Union of Jewish Students president and a Public Affairs Officer at the Israeli Embassy.{{Cite web|url=https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/jewish-labour-movement-worked-israeli-embassy-spy|title=Jewish Labour Movement worked with Israeli embassy spy|last=Winstanley|first=Asa|date=2018-04-12|website=The Electronic Intifada|language=en|access-date=2020-03-04}}{{bsn|date=January 2025}} She also sat on the advisory board of the Jewish Leadership Council's Lead programme and on the Board of Deputies of British Jews.{{cite web|url=https://ukjewishfilm.org/people/ella-rose/|title=Ella Rose|access-date=14 October 2019|publisher=UK Jewish Film}}

In September 2017, the JLM held its first ever one-day conference.{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishlabour.uk/jlm_one_day_conference_2017|title=JLM One-Day Conference 2017|access-date=19 September 2019|publisher=Jewish Labour Movement}}

By February 2018, the JLM had over 2,000 members, according to National Secretary Peter Mason.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/revealed-how-jeremy-newmark-deceived-the-jewish-leadership-council-out-of-thousands-of-pounds-1.458214?highlight=Peter+Mason|title=Revealed: JLC audit reports Jeremy Newmark deceived it out of thousands of pounds|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=8 February 2018|access-date=14 October 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}

In February 2018, Jeremy Newmark resigned as chair of the JLM after The Jewish Chronicle published an internal audit report into his conduct while he was CEO of the Jewish Leadership Council. It was alleged that, between 2006 and 2013, he defrauded the council of more than £10,000. The newspaper claimed that the council had covered up his alleged behaviour and accepted his resignation on the grounds of ill health. Newmark denied any wrongdoing, though he resigned as Chair of the JLM two days later to enable him to respond to the allegations.{{cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/revealed-how-jeremy-newmark-deceived-the-jewish-leadership-council-out-of-thousands-of-pounds-1.458214 |title=Revealed: JLC audit reports Jeremy Newmark deceived it out of thousands of pounds |last=Harpin |first=Lee |work=The Jewish Chronicle |date=8 February 2018 |access-date=12 February 2018}}{{cite news |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/labour-activist-jeremy-newmark-resigns-in-row-over-charity-expenses-cszqx9wr9 |title=Labour activist Jeremy Newmark resigns in row over charity expenses |last=Brown |first=David |work=The Times |location=London |date=10 February 2018 |access-date=12 February 2018}} {{subscription required}} Later in February, the JLM reported some financial matters to the police for investigation.{{cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jewish-labour-movement-refers-internal-financial-matters-to-the-police-1.459196 |title=Jewish Labour Movement refers 'certain internal financial matters' to the police |last=Rocker |first=Simon |work=The Jewish Chronicle |date=21 February 2018 |access-date=23 February 2018}} He was replaced by Ivor Caplin.{{cite web|url= https://www.jewishlabour.uk/national_executive_committee|title=National Executive Committee|publisher=Jewish Labour Movement|access-date=26 February 2019}}

In October 2018, the Director, Ella Rose, left for a role with the Holocaust Educational Trust.{{cite news|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/director-of-jewish-labour-movement-to-leave-post-and-join-het/|title=Director of Jewish Labour Movement to leave post and join HET|date=25 October 2018|access-date=14 October 2019|work=Jewish News}}

In April 2019, Mike Katz was elected National Movement Chair, defeating Ivor Caplin, and Ruth Smeeth was elected as Parliamentary Chair, succeeding Luciana Berger, who resigned from the Labour Party in February 2019. Joe Goldberg, Sarah Sackman and Ulrich Stephane Savary were elected as National Vice-Chairs. In January 2020, Margaret Hodge became Parliamentary Chair while Ruth Smeeth, who was no longer an MP, became a National Vice-Chair.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jewish-labour-movement-elects-dame-margaret-hodge-as-parliamentary-chair-1.495943|title=Jewish Labour Movement elects Dame Margaret Hodge as Parliamentary chair|date=26 January 2020|access-date=17 February 2020|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}

In October 2019, the Honorary President, Louise Ellman, resigned from the Labour Party but said that she was not planning to support another party, meaning she remained eligible to be a member.

The Jewish Labour Movement has a Local Government Network which seeks to recruit ambassadors in every Labour Group across the country to be a point of contact, educate local members and work with JLM nationally.{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishlabour.uk/local_government|title=Local Government|access-date=14 October 2019|work=JLM}} Its Jewish Councillors Network provides a space for and support to Jewish Labour councillors nationally as representatives and campaigners for the Party and political leaders and role models within the Jewish community. The Youth and Students section provides 14–26 year old members a network and opportunities to engage with the JLM and the Labour Party.{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishlabour.uk/youth_and_students|title=Youth & Students|access-date=14 October 2019|work=JLM}}

At the September 2017 Labour Party Conference, new rules proposed by the Jewish Labour Movement were adopted making hate speech a disciplinary offence.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/sep/26/labour-to-adopt-new-antisemitism-rules-after-conference-row |title=Labour to adopt new antisemitism rules after conference row |last=Elgot|first=Jessica|work=The Guardian|date=26 September 2017|access-date=28 Feb 2019}}

In March 2018, the JLM supported a demonstration by Jewish groups against the Labour Party leadership's handling of antisemitism.{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishlabour.uk/plpletter|title=JLM letter to the PLP|last=Rose|first=Ella|date=26 March 2018|access-date=16 April 2019|work=Jewish Labour Movement}}{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/British-Jews-Words-no-longer-enough-we-need-action-547289|title=UK Jews slam antisemitism in Labour: words no longer enough, action needed |last=Dell|first=Josh|date=28 March 2018|access-date=16 April 2019|work=Jerusalem Post}}

In April 2018, the Jewish Labour Movement asked for and received a guarantee that JLM would remain Labour's only Jewish affiliate, after suggestions that Jewish Voice for Labour might be allowed to affiliate.{{cite news|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/jewish-labour-movement-told-theyll-remain-only-affiliate-for-community-in-party/|title=Jewish Labour Movement told they'll remain only affiliate for community in party|work=Jewish News|date= 11 May 2018|access-date=16 April 2019}} This was one of 19 requests made by JLM to the Labour Party, alongside six set by Jewish community organisations.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jlm-condemns-deeply-troubling-attempt-by-jeremy-corbyn-to-mislead-parliamentary-labour-party-1.480675|title=Jewish Labour Movement condemns Jeremy Corbyn's 'deeply troubling' bid to 'mislead' MPs|last=Sugarman|first=Daniel|date=26 February 2019|access-date=15 October 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}

In September 2018, as the JLM asked, Labour added all 11 IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism examples, unamended, to the Party's code of conduct.{{cite news |last1=Sabbagh |first1=Dan |title=Labour adopts IHRA antisemitism definition in full |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/sep/04/labour-adopts-ihra-antisemitism-definition-in-full |access-date=10 September 2018 |work=The Guardian |date=4 September 2018}}

In October 2018, the JLM appealed to Labour Party members to send it examples of antisemitism within Labour.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/hundreds-contact-jlm-antisemitism-monitoring-centre-to-record-instances-of-jew-hate-in-corbyn-s-labour-1.470934|title=New Antisemitism Monitoring Centre inundated with complaints about Jeremy Corbyn's Labour|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=17 October 2018|access-date=16 October 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}

In November 2018, the JLM submitted a dossier of examples to the Equality and Human Rights Commission and asked it to investigate the Labour Party which, it said, was "institutionally anti-Semitic".{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47482048|title=Anti-Semitism: Labour faces possible human rights probe|date=7 March 2019|access-date=7 March 2019|work=BBC News}}

In March 2019, Jeremy Corbyn wrote to the JLM conveying his and the shadow cabinet's "very strong desire for you to remain a part of our movement" following reports that it was considering disaffiliating.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/05/margaret-hodge-corbyn-misled-me-over-antisemitism-labour|title= More than 100 Labour MPs urge Jewish group not to split from party |last1=Elgot |first1=Jessica |last2=Stewart |first2=Heather |date=5 March 2019|access-date=5 April 2019|work=The Guardian}} In April 2019, former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, announced that they had joined the JLM. Brown said that he joined to support Jews in light of antisemitism in the Labour Party.{{cite news |last=Oster |first=Marcy |date=2 April 2019 |title=Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown says Labour Party has 'let down' British Jews |url=https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/former-british-prime-minister-gordon-brown-joins-jewish-labour-movement-in-solidarity |agency=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |access-date=3 April 2019}} Khan said he had joined "to demonstrate 'support and appreciation'" for British Jews.{{cite web |last1=Oster |first1=Marcy |title=London Mayor Sadiq Khan joins Jewish Labour movement |url=https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/london-mayor-sadiq-khan-joins-jewish-labour-movement#.XL8400Ai0D8 |website=Jewish Telegraphic Agency |publisher=70 Faces Media |date = 22 April 2019|access-date=23 April 2019}} In April 2019, JLM decided to remain affiliated to the Labour Party but passed a motion of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn over his alleged mishandling of anti-Semitism within the party.{{cite news |author= |date=April 7, 2019 |title=Vote of No Confidence in Corbyn Passed by Jewish Labour Movement |url=https://www.jpost.com/Diaspora/Antisemitism/Vote-of-no-confidence-in-Corbyn-passed-by-Jewish-Labour-Movement-586041 |agency=Reuters |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |access-date=April 13, 2019}}

In July 2019, JLM described Labour's appointment of a liaison officer to improve the party's relationships with the Jewish community as a "pointless, ineffective gesture".{{cite news|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/labour-activist-who-defended-williamson-appointed-liaison-to-jewish-community/|title=Labour activist who defended Williamson appointed liaison to Jewish community|last=Mendel|first=Jack|date=17 July 2019|access-date=22 July 2019|work=Jewish News}}

In September 2019, the JLM held a rally at the Middle Street Synagogue in Brighton during the Labour Party Conference. Speakers included MPs, Ruth Smeeth, Margaret Hodge, Alex Sobel, Louise Ellman, Stella Creasy and Rosie Duffield, Seb Dance MEP, the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, Luke Akehurst, director of We Believe in Israel and secretary of Labour First, Nathan Yeowell, director of Progress, Miriam Mirwitch, chair of Young Labour and Rania Ramli, chairperson of the recently disbanded Labour Students. Smeeth said that "This isn't a fight for Jews (or) equality in the party – this is a fight for the Labour Party." Hodge drew loud cheers when she promised that "I'm not going to give up until Jeremy Corbyn ceases to be leader of the Labour Party."{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/mayor-of-london-sadiq-khan-voices-concern-about-antisemitism-at-packed-jewish-labour-movement-rally-1.489072|title=Mayor of London Sadiq Khan voices concern about antisemitism at packed Jewish Labour Movement rally|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=23 September 2019|access-date=23 September 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}

In December 2019, the JLM made a submission to the Equality and Human Rights Commission as part of the EHRC's investigation into anti-Semitism in the Labour Party.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/05/seventy-labour-staffers-give-statements-to-antisemitism-inquiry|title=Seventy Labour staffers give statements to antisemitism inquiry|last1=Mason|first1=Rowena|date=2019-12-06|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-12-09|last2=Weaver|first2=Matthew|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|last3=Perraudin|first3=Frances}} It offered alleged incidents of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party - all anecdotal- including the alleged description of Jewish Labour MP Margaret Hodge as a 'Zionist remedial cancer' and a 'Zionist bitch' after she wrote a vicious article attacking Labour in The Sunday Times, as well as alleged discriminatory practices in the South Tottenham CLP towards prospective Haredi Jewish members.{{Cite news |date=July 22, 2018 |title=Jewish Labour Movement considers suing Labour Party over antisemitism definition |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jewish-labour-movement-considers-suing-labour-party-over-antisemitism-definition-1.467523 |access-date=2019-12-09 |work=The Jewish Chronicle]}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/05/dossier-shamed-labour-jeremy-corbyn-complicit-growing-tide-anti/|title=The dossier that shamed Labour: how Jeremy Corbyn was complicit in growing 'tide' of anti-Semitism – and how the party covered it up|last1=Tominey|first1=Camilla|date=2019-12-05|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2019-12-10|last2=Rayner|first2=Gordon|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}} It also contained anecdotal claims that Zionist Jews were labelled as 'child killers,' 'subhuman' and 'Zio scum,' and a claim a Jew was told that 'Hitler was right.'{{Cite news|author= Culberston, Alix|url=https://news.sky.com/story/12-shocking-claims-of-abuse-in-leaked-labour-antisemitism-dossier-11879053|title=12 shocking claims of abuse in leaked Labour antisemitism dossier|work=Sky News|language=en|date = 6 December 2019|access-date=29 May 2024}}{{Cite news|last1=Rayner|first1=Gordon|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2019/12/05/jeremy-corbyn-running-institutionally-anti-semitic-labour-party/|title=Jeremy Corbyn running 'institutionally anti-Semitic' Labour Party says damning dossier|date=2019-12-05|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2020-02-16|last2=Yorke|first2=Harry|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}{{Cite news|last1=Mason|first1=Rowena|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/05/seventy-labour-staffers-give-statements-to-antisemitism-inquiry|title=Seventy Labour staffers give statements to antisemitism inquiry|date=2019-12-06|work=The Guardian|access-date=2020-02-16|last2=Weaver|first2=Matthew|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077|last3=Perraudin|first3=Frances}}

In 2020, the JLM nominated Lisa Nandy in the 2020 Labour Party leadership election and Ian Murray in the 2020 Labour Party deputy leadership election, in both cases by a small margin.{{cite news|url=https://labourlist.org/2020/02/jewish-labour-movement-nominates-lisa-nandy-and-ian-murray//|title=Jewish Labour Movement nominates Lisa Nandy and Ian Murray|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|date=14 February 2020|access-date=16 February 2020|work=Labour List}}

Following its 2016 restructuring, JLM offered training on antisemitism awareness to Constituency Labour Parties.

In 2018, the JLM refused to provide antisemitism awareness training to those subject to disciplinary proceedings as they did not believe training was an appropriate sanction.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jewish-labour-movement-furious-as-labour-stops-using-them-for-antisemitism-training-1.481326|title=Labour ditches Jewish Labour Movement for antisemitism training, backs new university course instead|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=11 March 2019|access-date=31 August 2019|newspaper=The Jewish Chronicle}}

In August 2018, the JLM refused to offer training at the Party's annual conference, after disagreeing with the Party leadership over its content.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/jlm-withdraws-from-labour-conference-antisemitism-sessions-after-censorship-attempts-1.468499|title=JLM withdraws from Labour conference antisemitism sessions after attempts to "censor" course|last=Sugarman|first=Daniel|date=19 August 2019|access-date=19 September 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}}

In March 2019, the JLM suspended their training programme. JLM said that their role had been undermined after the Labour Party announced it planned to enrol staff and members of the National Executive Committee and National Constitutional Committee on a short course on antisemitism being developed by the Pears Institute for the Study of Antisemitism, despite Labour's stated intention of consulting Jewish communal organisations prior to its implementation.{{cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/news/102466/row-jewish-labour-movement-replaced-partys-anti|title=Row as Jewish Labour Movement is replaced as party's anti-semitism training provider|last=Schofield|first=Kevin|date=12 March 2019|access-date=27 March 2019|work=Politico}} In July 2019, JLM suspended a member who had continued to provide training on antisemitism.{{cite news|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/jlm-suspends-member-who-flouted-decision-to-halt-antisemitism-training/|title=JLM suspends member who flouted decision to halt antisemitism training|last=Cohen|first=Justin|date=19 July 2019|access-date=31 August 2019|work=Jewish News}}

In July 2019, the JLM refused to collaborate with the Labour Party in developing educational materials on antisemitism.{{cite news|url=https://labourlist.org/2019/07/labour-launches-new-antisemitism-education-material/|title=Labour launches new antisemitism education material|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|date=21 July 2019|access-date=19 September 2019|work=Labour List}}

In June 2020, the JLM said they would not undertake antisemitism training for all Labour staff, as Keir Starmer had requested, while "staff who were central to the failure to deal with antisemitism under Mr Corbyn remained in their jobs".{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/starmer-plans-to-reform-party-equality-and-human-rights-commission-report-labour-antisemitism-1.500754|title=Revealed: Starmer's blueprint to reform Labour following EHRC antisemitism report|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=18 June 2020|access-date=18 June 2020|work=Jewish Chronicle}}

In mid–July 2021, Labour's National Executive Committee announced that all prospective Labour candidates would be trained by the Jewish Labour Movement to deal with anti-Semitism.{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Rowena |title=Labour votes to ban four far-left factions that supported Corbyn's leadership |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/20/labour-votes-to-ban-four-far-left-factions-that-supported-corbyns-leadership |access-date=23 July 2021 |work=The Guardian |date=20 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722095927/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jul/20/labour-votes-to-ban-four-far-left-factions-that-supported-corbyns-leadership |archive-date=22 July 2021|url-status=live}}{{cite news |last1=Shalev |first1=Asaf |title=UK Labour bans far-left factions in effort to change reputation on antisemitism |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/uk-labour-bans-far-left-factions-in-effort-to-change-reputation-on-antisemitism/ |access-date=23 July 2021 |work=Times of Israel |date=22 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722075309/https://www.timesofisrael.com/uk-labour-bans-far-left-factions-in-effort-to-change-reputation-on-antisemitism/ |archive-date=22 July 2021|url-status=live}} The Jewish Labour Movement also welcomed the NEC's decision to ban four alleged far left factions, namely Resist, Labour Against the Witchhunt, the Labour in Exile Network and Socialist Appeal, during that same meeting.{{cite news |title=Left-wing anger over expulsions from Labour Party |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-57909481 |access-date=23 July 2021 |work=BBC News |date=22 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722084525/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-57909481 |archive-date=22 July 2021|url-status=live}}

In April 2019, Katz said that JLM would be selective in campaigning for Labour candidates in future elections, saying "If you're backing the leadership and the way they have handled antisemitism – then you are absolutely not going to get our support" and "If you clearly and consistently support us...then we will have your back".{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/09/jewish-labour-movement-radical-steps-antisemitism |title= Jewish Labour affiliate threatens campaigning 'work to rule' |last=Elgot |first=Jessica |work=The Guardian |date=9 April 2019|access-date=9 April 2019}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/mike-katz-jewish-labour-movement-will-not-campaign-for-labour-candidates-who-back-corbyn-over-antis-1.482894 |title=Mike Katz: Jewish Labour Movement will not campaign for Labour candidates who back Corbyn over antisemitism |last=Harpin |first=Lee |date=11 April 2019 |work=The Jewish Chronicle |access-date=11 April 2019}}

JLM said their members would not campaign for Lisa Forbes in the June 2019 Peterborough by-election after it was revealed she had liked a social media post of a video of children praying in solidarity with the victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings with accompanying text which commented that Theresa May had a "Zionist slave masters agenda", and had expressed her "enjoyment" in reading a thread which included a comment that Islamic State had been founded and funded by the CIA and Mossad.{{Cite news |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/labour-s-peterborough-candidate-signed-letter-opposing-ihra-antisemitism-definition-1.485060 |title=Labour's Peterborough candidate signed letter opposing IHRA antisemitism definition |last=Harpin |first=Lee |date=3 June 2019 |work=The Jewish Chronicle |access-date=7 June 2019}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/02/jewish-groups-labour-peterborough-byelection-lisa-forbes-antisemitism|title=Jewish groups say Labour should disown Peterborough byelection candidate|last=Elgot|first=Jessica|date=2019-06-02|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-12-08|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}} Forbes said that she had liked the video and the content of a long thread of posts and had not noticed the specific comments.{{Cite news |url=https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/news/politics/peterborough-labour-by-election-candidate-active-in-israel-hate-group-1-8950444 |title=Peterborough Labour by-election candidate 'active in Israel hate group' |last=Lamy |first=Joel |date=3 June 2019 |work=Peterborough Telegraph |access-date=7 June 2019}}

In October 2019, The Jewish Chronicle reported that the JLM's members would not campaign in support of Labour candidate Ross Houston in Finchley and Golders Green in the December 2019 general election as a show of solidarity with its previous Parliamentary Chair, Luciana Berger, who was standing for the Liberal Democrats in the seat.{{cite news|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/news-features/a-december-election-is-on-but-will-it-be-the-end-of-jeremy-corbyn-1.490851|title=A December election is on – but will it be the end of Jeremy Corbyn?|last=Harpin|first=Lee|date=30 October 2019|access-date=30 October 2019|work=The Jewish Chronicle}} It was later reported that day that the JLM had announced that "We will not be campaigning unless in exceptional circumstances and for exceptional candidates, like our parliamentary chair Ruth Smeeth, and members of the parliamentary Labour party who've been unwavering in their support of us. We will not be giving endorsements to candidates in non-Labour-held seats".{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/oct/31/jewish-group-removes-campaigning-support-for-labour-in-election|title=Jewish group removes campaigning support for Labour in election|last=Proctor|first=Kate|date=31 October 2019|access-date=31 October 2019|work=The Guardian}}{{cite news|url=https://labourlist.org/2019/10/jewish-labour-movement-refuses-to-campaign-for-most-labour-candidates/|title=Jewish Labour Movement refuses to campaign for most Labour candidates|last=Rodgers|first=Sienna|date=31 October 2019|access-date=31 October 2019|work=Labour List}}{{cite news|url=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/jeremy-corbyn/news/107666/jewish-labour-movement-says-it-will|title=Jewish Labour Movement says it will not campaign to make Jeremy Corbyn Prime Minister|last=Schofield|first=Kevin|date=30 October 2019|access-date=31 October 2019|work=Politics Home}} According to The Independent, JLM "is expected to draw attention (during the campaign) to Labour MPs who it believes have a poor record of tackling antisemitism".{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-corbyn-general-election-jewish-affiliate-boycott-leadership-a9178326.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220608/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/labour-corbyn-general-election-jewish-affiliate-boycott-leadership-a9178326.html |archive-date=8 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Labour's official Jewish affiliate to boycott party's general election campaign because of Corbyn's 'failure of leadership'|last=Kentish|first=Benjamin|date=31 October 2019|access-date=31 October 2019|work=The Independent}}

The JLM has attracted some criticism from within the Labour Party. Critics contended that the JLM had become largely dormant by the early 21st century and was only revived to challenge the election of Jeremy Corbyn.

“The motive behind the JLM’s resuscitation was also revealed by an undercover documentary made by Al-Jazeera, aired in early 2017. It showed that the JLM was acting as little more than a front for the Israeli embassy and that the mission it set itself was to weaken Corbyn in the hope of removing him from the leadership.”{{cite news|url=https://mronline.org/2019/04/29/jewish-labour-movement-was-revived-to-deal-with-corbyn/|title=Jewish Labour Movement was revived to deal with Corbyn|last=Cook|first=Jonathan|date=29 April 2019|access-date=19 September 2019|work=Monthly Review}}

The criticism highlights revelations made in The Lobby (TV series).

In September 2017, Michael Kalmanovitz, of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, at a fringe meeting hosted by the "Free Speech on Israel" group alongside the Labour Party conference, asked "What are JLM and LFI doing in our Party? It's time we campaigned to kick them out".{{cite news|work =Jewish News|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/calls-to-expel-jewish-members-from-labour-cheered-at-conference/|title=Calls to expel Jewish members from Labour cheered at conference|last=Frazer|first=Jenni|date=25 September 2017|access-date = 29 May 2024}}

At the same conference, a number of Jewish members of the Labour Party launched Jewish Voice for Labour as "an alternative voice for Jewish members of Labour" who do not support the Jewish Labour Movement's "profoundly Zionist orientation",{{cite news |last=Sugarman|first=Daniel|url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/new-jewish-group-launched-in-labour-1.443348|title=New Jewish group launched in Labour|work= The Jewish Chronicle|date=25 August 2017|access-date=26 March 2018}} contending that "the JLM cannot represent all Jewish members of the Labour Party when it is committed 'to promote the centrality of Israel in Jewish life' as well as the wider Jerusalem Programme of the World Zionist Organization."{{cite news |last1=Manson|first1=Jenny|last2=Levane|first2=Leah|url=https://www.labourlist.org/2018/10/jewish-voice-for-labour-we-werent-founded-to-tackle-antisemitism-allegations-in-labour/|title=Jewish Voice for Labour: We weren't founded to "tackle antisemitism allegations in Labour"|work= Labour List|date=26 October 2018|access-date=1 November 2018}}

In March 2018, the Morning Star criticised the JLM for its "unquestioning zionism" and for being "unscrupulous enough to call fellow Jews anti-semites when the real fallout is between zionists and anti-zionists."{{cite news|url=https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/anti-semitism-must-not-be-conflated-with-criticism-of-israel|title=Anti-semitism must not be conflated with criticism of Israel|date=9 March 2018|access-date=15 October 2019|work=Morning Star}} In April 2018, after the JLM voted that it had no confidence in Corbyn, the political secretary of the Labour Representation Committee commented "[JLM] is campaigning to make a Labour government impossible! They are stabbing us in the back. That is insupportable. The JLM must be disaffiliated from Labour as soon as possible."{{cite news|url=https://jewishnews.timesofisrael.com/mcdonnell-backed-group-claims-jlm-stabbed-labour-in-the-back/|title=McDonnell-backed group claims JLM 'stabbed Labour in the back'|last=Frot|first=Mathilde|date=9 April 2018|access-date=14 October 2014|work=Jewish News}}

• Habonim Dror
• Independent Jewish Voices
• Israel lobby in the United Kingdom
• The Lobby (TV series)
• Jewdas
• Jewish Socialists' Group
• Jewish Voice for Labour

{{reflist|3}}

• Alderman, Geoffrey. London Jewry and London Politics, 1889–1986, Cambridge University Press, 1989.
• Edmunds, June. [https://etheses.lse.ac.uk/2847/1/U615796.pdf The Left’s Views on Israel: From the establishment of the Jewish state to the intifada], PhD thesis, London School of Economics and Political Science, 2014.
• Gorny, Yosef. The British Labour Movement and Zionism: 1917–1948 London: Frank Cass, 1983.
• Mendes, P. Jews and the Left: The Rise and Fall of a Political Alliance, Springer, 20 May 2014.
• Rubinstein, W. D.; Jolles, Michael A.; Rubinstein, Hilary L. The Palgrave Dictionary of Anglo-Jewish History. Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.

• Bar, Hilik. "[http://www.progressonline.org.uk/2014/04/11/strengthening-ties-between-the-british-and-israeli-labour-parties/ UK and Israeli Labour: strengthening ties] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170906224602/http://www.progressonline.org.uk/2014/04/11/strengthening-ties-between-the-british-and-israeli-labour-parties/ |date=6 September 2017 }} Progress, 11 April 2014
• Dysch, Marcus. "[https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/the-loyalists-standing-their-ground-against-labour-s-tide-of-hate-1.63375 The loyalists standing their ground against Labour's tide of hate]", The Jewish Chronicle, 7 April 2016
• Levenberg, S. Poale Zion: 100 Years of the Jewish Labour Movement in Britain. London: Poale Zion, 1972
• Sargent, Andrew. [https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/11289/1/280995.pdf The British Labour Party and Palestine 1917–1949]. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham, 1980
• Shimoni, G. "Poale Zion: a Zionist Transplant in Britain (1905–1945)" Studies in Contemporary Jewry, 2, 1986

• {{Official website}}
• Taylor, Derek. [https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/jewishlabour/pages/546/attachments/original/1554200795/JLM_-_Brief_History.pdf?1554200795 Solidarity and Discord: A brief history of 99 years of affiliation the Labour Party] Jewish Labour Movement, 2019
• [http://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3APoale+Zion+%28Great+Britain%29&qt=hot_author List of publications at WorldCat]
• [https://www.jta.org/1931/04/11/archive/english-poale-zion-conference-interprets-macdonald-letter-as-reaffirmation-of-balfour-declaration English Poale Zion Conference Interprets Macdonald Letter As Reaffirmation of Balfour Declaration], Jewish Telegraphic Agency, London. 11 April 1931

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