Bad News for Labour : Antisemitism, the Party and Public Belief : Antisemitism, the Party and Public Belief

Jointly written by five leading voices on the topic, this book looks at the contentious issue of antisemitism in the Labour Party today, and sets out ways of addressing the problem while maintaining the integrity of the organisation. The first part of the book includes original material on public beliefs about antisemitism in the Labour Party, and the kinds of problems this poses regarding voting intentions and demoralization of the membership. The writers then investigate the institutional problems and policy decisions that prevented a coherent and well-planned response from the party, and how Labour can rectify this today.\*BR\*\*BR\*The book progresses to explore in depth the coverage of the issue in mainstream media outlets, and the partial accounts presented to the public. The writers focus on the debates around the IHRA definition, and the accusations made against David Miller which were eventually dismissed and set an important precedent. At the end of the book, Mike Berry provides a helpful chronological account of the arguments surrounding this issue from the beginning of Corbyn's leadership to the present. Jointly written by five leading voices on the topic, this book looks at the contentious issue of antisemitism in the Labour Party today, and sets out ways of addressing the problem while maintaining the integrity of the organisation. The first part of the book includes original material on public beliefs about antisemitism in the Labour Party, and the kinds of problems this poses regarding voting intentions and demoralization of the membership. The writers then investigate the institutional problems and policy decisions that prevented a coherent and well-planned response from the party, and how Labour can rectify this today. The book progresses to explore in depth the coverage of the issue in mainstream media outlets, and the partial accounts presented to the public. The writers focus on the debates around the IHRA definition, and the accusations made against David Miller which were eventually dismissed and set an important precedent. At the end of the book, Mike Berry provides a helpful chronological account of the arguments surrounding this issue from the beginning of Corbyn's leadership to the present. During the summer of 2018, numerous members of the Labour Party were accused of anti-Semitic behaviour by their detractors. The controversy reached fever pitch amid claims that the Labour Party had become 'institutionally racist' under the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, and that the prospect of a Corbyn-led government posed an 'existential threat' to Jewish life in Britain. Shrouded in confusion, hyped by the media, whether these accusations were true or not got lost in the mix.

This book clears the confusion by drawing on deep and original research on public beliefs and media representation of antisemitism and the Labour Party, revealing shocking findings of misinformation spread by the press, including the supposedly impartial BBC, and the liberal Guardian.

Bringing in discussions around the IHRA definition, anti-Zionism and Israel/Palestine, as well as including a clear chronology of events, this book is a must for anyone wanting to find out the reality behind the headlines. Cover Contents Acknowledgements Preface 1. Believe It or Not - Greg Philo and Mike Berry 2. Divisions and Competing Accounts - Greg Philo and Mike Berry 3. What Could Have Been Done and Why It Wasn't and Will It End? - Greg Philo and Mike Berry 4. Media Coverage of the IHRA Definition and Its Adoption by the Labour Party - Justin Schlosberg 5. Weapons in the Labour Antisemitism Wars? - Anthony Lerman 6. 'A' State of Israel or 'The' State of Israel: The Politics of the IHRA Definition - David Miller Conclusion Appendix: Timeline of Events - Mike Berry and Greg Philo Bibliography Index Greg Philo, Mike Berry, Justin Schlosberg, Antony Lerman And David Miller. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 224-261) And Index. A Groundbreaking Study Revealing How Accusations Of Antisemitism Damaged The British Labour Party Under Jeremy Corbyn's Leadership.