We welcome the reinstatement of Chris Williamson –but why are Dennis Skinner, Laura Pidcock and the Campaign Group of MPs Saying Nothing?

When Boris Johnson condemns Williamson’ Reinstatement – What More Do You Need to Know about the Fake Anti-Semitism Campaign?

 It is extremely welcome that Chris Williamson, one of the few socialist MPs, has had the whip restored.  The outpouring of hate and bile from the Zionists and racists are wholly predictable and synthetic. However unless this is defended by the Left it may be short-lived.

Margaret Hodge, who as Leader of Islington Councilcovered up child abuse condemned the decision as ‘unbelievable’ and ‘turning a blind eye to Jew-hate’. This is the same Margaret Hodge whom the BNP sent a bunch of flowers to as a thank you for having endorsed their policy of only housing ‘local’ i.e. White families. As the Guardian reported in an article BNP backs Hodge in housing row

Just to remind ourselves of the position of the paper of British liberalism

The British National Party has supported Margaret Hodge in calling for British-born families to take priority over immigrants in the queue for council homes. They have seized on the Labour MP’s comments as a vindication of its extremist policies. ‘Labour MP Margaret Hodge deserves a word of compliment from the BNP for her efforts to raise the thorny issue of social housing for native Britons..

Ruth Smeeth, who was revealed to be a protected American asset by Wikileaks and a prima donna who falsely alleged anti-Semitism against Marc Wadsworth, was quoted as accusing Chris of having

‘intentionally undermined, marginalised and harassed the British Jewish community and Jewish Labour Party members, which has continually brought the Labour Party into disrepute.’

The bigger the lie the more it is to be believed. What Smeeth means is that Chris dared to criticise and call out the McCarthyist tactics of Zionist leaders and the Jewish Labour Movement’s false anti-Semitism narrative in particular

The Jewish Chronicle described Chris Williamson as a ‘Jew baiter’.  Of course he is no such thing. The cynicism of Zionists like the Jewish Chronicle’s ‘Liar’ Lee Harpin who writes this nonsense is unbelievable.  It trivialises anti-Semitism and makes it into a mere political bargaining chip, a cheap name to attack your political enemies with.

There were Jew baiters like Julius Streicher, the editor of the Nazi paper der Sturmer who was hanged at Nuremburg. Sir Oswald Moseley of the British Union of Fascists was another Jew baiter but Chris Williamson? I defy the Zionists to produce even one sentence of Chris’s that is anti-Semitic.

Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman said the lifting of the suspension was “an utter disgrace”. This is the same organisation which supported Israel’s use of snipers against unarmed demonstrators protesting against Israel’s siege of Gaza. The Board is an unrepresentative Zionist group masquerading as representative of Britain’s Jewish community.

According to the Jewish Chronicle’s Political Correspondent, ‘liar’ Lee Harpin one of Chris’s offences was that he ‘claimed Tony Greenstein – who was expelled for allegations involving antisemitism – had a right to hold his “anti-Zionist views”.’

Quite amazing really. Presumably this idiot thinks I don’t have the right to be an anti-Zionist. I think Liar Lee has forgotten that this is not Israel, where people are gaoled for their views, but Britain

And what was Chris’s original ‘crime’? To quote from the Tory supporting Politics Home: Chris Williamson told a Momentum meeting that:

“The party that has done more to stand up to racism is now being demonised as a racist, bigoted party.

“I have got to say I think our party’s response has been partly responsible for that because in my opinion… we’ve backed off far too much, we have given too much ground, we’ve been too apologetic…”

We’ve done more to actually address the scourge of anti-semitism than any other political party. Any other political party. And yet we are being traduced.”

See‘The Suspension of Chris Williamson MP is Shameful – This May Be the End of the Corbyn Project’

But the icing on the cake of this racist hypocrisy is the reaction of notorious racist and candidate to be leader of the Tory Party and Prime Minister, Boris Johnson who tweeted:

“Shameful that Labour have reinstated this key Corbyn ally back into their party after his appalling remarks. We must never allow these apologists for anti-Semitism anywhere near government.”

This is the man who described Black people as ‘picanninies’ and having ‘water melon smiles’ and who compared Muslim women to ‘letter boxes’ and bank robbers. Johnson whose whole campaign strategy has been guided by the viciously racist former Trump advisor Steve Bannon.The fact that Boris Johnson and the Daily Mail have gone to town over the reinstatement of Chris Williamson just shows what this is about – it has nothing to do with ‘anti-Semitism’ or ‘Jew baiting’ and everything to do with Israel and opposition to Zionism

When Chris Williamson was suspended, Owen Jones was to the fore in stabbing him in the back, all in the name of a‘healing process with Britain’s Jewish community.’ Of course Owen Jones was, as is normally the case, providing a left gloss on the fact that it was the Labour Right and Tom Watson who had, with Tory support, called for his suspension.

Yet what is amazing is that not one MP from the Corbynites of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs spoke out. All of them, without exception, kept quiet

Richard Burgon, Dianne Abbot, Dennis Skinner, Cat Smith, Laura Pidcock, Lloyd Russell-Moyle etc. said nothing. This cowardly silence can and will only help the Right. Remaining silent only strengthens the Right. The idea that this is about ‘anti-Semitism’ or Jews is for the birds.

This is about Israel, Zionism, support for shooting Gaza’s protestors, demolishing Palestinian villages whilst crying ‘anti-Semitism’ at anyone who critiques the State that does all of this.

The Jewish Labour Movement’s MPs, who are interchangeable with those of the Labour Friends of Israel, have been to the forefront in supporting the demolition of Palestinian homes, the arrest and physical abuse and torture of children and all the other abominations of Israel’s military occupation.

That is why we should welcome Chris’s reinstatement and call for Momentum and the Campaign Group of MPs to end their shameful silence.

I also sent this message to the 27 Campaign Group of Labour MPs

Dear Campaign Group MP

Today Chris Williamson unexpectedly but quite correctly had the Labour Whip restored to him.

The allegations of ‘antisemitism’ against him are and always were bogus. It should be sufficient in itself to note that the Board of Deputies and Labour Friends of Israel/JLM who make these charges defended and supported Israel’s mowing down of unarmed demonstrators in Gaza. To say nothing of their support of the half century old military occupation of Palestine.

At a time when the Tory press, Boris Johnson, various Zionists and other assorted reactionaries are attacking Chris, is it too much to expect that you might raise your head above the parapet and publicly welcome him back?

Or is cowardice your only card?

Tony Greenstein

Members of the Campaign Group are:
Diane Abbott [email protected]
Richard Burgon [email protected]
Dawn Butler [email protected]
Ronnie Campbell [email protected]
Dan Carden [email protected]
Emma Dent Code [email protected]
Jeremy Corbyn [email protected]
Marsha de-Cova [email protected]
David Drew [email protected]
Imran Hussain [email protected]
Ian Lavery [email protected]
Karen Lee [email protected]
Clive Lewis [email protected]
Rebecca Long-Bailey [email protected]
John McDonnell [email protected]
Ian Mearns [email protected]
Grahame Morris [email protected]
Laura Pidcock [email protected]
Kate Osamor [email protected]
Danielle Rowley [email protected]
Lloyd Russell Moyle [email protected]
Dennis Skinner [email protected]
Cat Smith [email protected]
Laura Smith [email protected]
Jon Trickett [email protected]

I also sent the following letter to the Jewish Chronicle in response to its vile article

Letters Editor,
The Jewish Chronicle
28 St. Albans Lane
London NW11 7QE
[email protected]

Dear Sir:

The restoration of the Labour whip to Chris Williamson is to be welcomed by all those who oppose racism. Your headline ‘Outrage as Labour lifts suspension of ‘Jew-baiter’ MP Chris Williamson’ is itself outrageous.

Nothing Chris has said or done in any way merits the description ‘Jew baiter’. It is no surprise that neither you, Ruth Smeeth, the Board of Deputies or any other of his Zionist detractors are able to quote a single sentence or phrase that Chris has uttered which is in anyway anti-Semitic.

You are well aware that Chris Williamson signed a petition in support of Gilad Atzmon in ignorance of his anti-Semitism. As someone who led the campaign against Atzmon, long before the Zionist movement took it up, these allegations are simply opportunist. In any event I opposed Atzmon’s politics not his music and I support his right to play his music.

The allegation that Chris has harassed, baited, marginalised etc. the Jewish community is just poppycock. The real reason for the attacks on Chris Williamson is his anti-Zionist politics and his support for the Palestinians. Once again the Jewish Chronicle pretends that all Jews are Zionists and supporters of Israeli right or wrong, which according to the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism is anti-Semitic!

Lee Harpin claims that one of Chris Williamson’s offence is claiming that I have a right to hold anti-Zionist views. Is it the Jewish Chronicle’s position that I don’t have the right to be an anti-Zionist? I don’t believe even Israel makes holding anti-Zionist views a criminal offence! This is McCarthism gone mad.

Yours faithfully,

Tony Greenstein