21 February 2019
Letter to the Editors
False Semitism?
from Anthony Silver
20 February 2019
Dear Sir
Today’s Times reported that Ian Austin MP criticised the Labour Party for readmitting Derek Hatton despite his tweet back in 2011 that “Jewish people with any sense of humanity need to start speaking out against the ruthless murdering being carried out by Israel”.
If it had been the Chief Rabbi, rather than Derek Hatton who made ‘Humanity’ statement would it had earned Derek Austin’s opprobrium? – I doubt it. What if it had been the Archbishop of Canterbury? In these days of political correctness the flavour of what is said seems to be judged less by the content than by the speaker.
Speaking personally I think Mr Hatton was absolutely correct, I deplore the excesses of the Israeli government, as I do of any of the factions operating in the region PLO, Hamas, IS, Syria etc….
I am also not sure that Ian Austin’s censure advances the cause of Semitism by confusing Israel/Zionism with Judaism. Derek Hatton’s tweet at least differentiates between the two, a distinction that still seems to present a challenge to most Corbinystas.
If I was Mr Austin my objection to Mr Hatton being readmitted would be on the basis that the latter helped trash Labour’s credibility in its perceived ability to govern back in the 1980s, probably not a good move to draw attention to this in light of the talent currently being offered up by the Party.
Regards
Anthony Silver
