I love my country
I love my religion
I love my party
Three important reasons for me to be standing before you tonight and accepting the nomination to become the new Chair of the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM).
Not just an important affiliate to the Labour Party but we are in our 98th unbroken year of affiliation.
It is an honour to become Chair and I can assure you that you will be hearing more from JLM and our activities and I want all our members from South to North to feel part of JLM.
Our Labour Movement was built with the help of Jewish members and supporters.
Every important piece of social legislation over the past 100 years has been driven and supported by Jewish people and driven by our yes our Jewish values.
Furthemore our Trade Unions can trace proud and important parts of their history and foundations to our community.
Our community can also take pride in knowing that our role in the lefts civic history is a proud one.
And this organisation played a pivotal role before World War 2 in building broad based support in the Labour Movement for the establishment of a Jewish State in Israel.
Let us never forget that we achieved that goal with the help of a Labour Government in 1948 and this achievement should not be forgotten.
Since that time our role naturally has changed and indeed evolved.
This is a 120 year old movement initially Poale Zion as it was –now the Jewish Labour Movement as it is today - has a long proud history in taking action when it is called for.
So when I use the phrase “action not words” firstly I mean it and secondly I am following those who went before in running this great organisation.
There has already been progress since nominations closed so let me briefly update you tonight.
I am pleased to confirm that work is underway on the options for a Westminster based office closer to the Commons and to Southside and putting us at the centre of our democracy. More details will be will be confirmed in due course. Meanwhile as I said in my statement to you previously I will be meeting the North West JLM group and the wider community on 22nd and 23rd July in Manchester.
Like many of you I was on Parliament Green when Sajid Javed appeared a few minutes into the speeches. Little did we know that a few days later he would become Home Secretary.
We have continuously said as have the wider community that these people in London last Sunday with their terrorist loving flags and yes there open anti Semitism must be removed from the streets of our Capital City.
This could have been prevented by the Home Secretary last week but he took no action. That decision was a big disappointment.
The Home Secretary has the power and should have used it seven days ago as he was urged to do including by our London Mayor Sadiq.
Now his comments yesterday are welcome but we will be watching to ensure that his comments are followed through with a full ban.
There must be no going back from the Home Secretary on his statement.
Friends let me say this
There is no place in our Party or our country for anti Semitism. Across our country this is affecting our electoral performance and Labours once fine reputation as a Party of fairness.
There is no hiding place and we must be prepared to call out anti Semitism whenever it occurs.
Far too often we are seeing anti Semitism dressed up by some as “comment on Israel” it is not and it has to stop. Sadly across society we are seeing greater numbers of foul and disgusting behaviour and this is not the Britain we know and value.
All forms of Islamaphobia Sexism Racism Homophobia and Anti Semitism has to stop and the full power of the law should be used on those who transgress.
This is what “Zero Tolerance” actually means.
There is also no place in our Movement for those who deliberately ignore our disciplinary structure. Yes I am looking at you Chris Williamson. I am really disappointed that the Chief Whip has not withdrawn the Whip from him yet.
He continues to blatantly ignore the work of our democratically elected Labour NEC and NCC by openly supporting both Greenstein and Wadsworth as we saw again at the weekend.
Put simply his behaviour is unbecoming to our great Party and its time for the whip to be withdrawn by the Chief Whip. Action not words.
JLM has to be focused on outcomes not processes and ensuring those outcomes are to the benefit of you our members and the wider Party and that this will make us more electable in both local and national Government
To conclude
I am a pragmatic politician and I support the decisions in the main of all the previous Labour Governments
It is only Labour Government’s which have brought about real and lasting social change for the people of Britain.
We should always be proud of our record in Government.
I am looking forward to the challenges ahead.
Thank you for placing your trust in me
I will not let you down.
