UK’s Labour Party brings back member accused of anti-Semitism

Julie Wiener

(JTA) — Britain’s Labour Party has readmitted a member who runs a website that publishes articles deemed anti-Semitic.

Gerry Downing, who operates the Socialist Fight website and has defended ISIS and the 9/11 terrorists, was expelled from Labour in August for “publicly supporting another political party,” according to The Telegraph.

On Wednesday, during a session in Parliament, Prime Minister David Cameron questioned Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s decision to allow Downing back in.

Corbyn has not responded to requests that Downing be removed. The party leader himself has been accused of tolerating anti-Semitism.

According to the UK’s Jewish News, Downing posted an article on Twitter last summer titled “Why Marxists must address the Jewish question.” The article accused the “Jewish-Zionist bourgeoisie” and the “pro-Israel ideologues of the War on Terror” of playing a “vanguard role for the capitalist offensive against the workers.”

The Jewish News quoted Parliament member John Mann, who chairs the All-Party Parliamentary Group against Antisemitism, saying this week, “This man has no place in the Labour Party, he should be thrown out immediately.”

Corbyn’s election last summer generated concern in Britain’s Jewish community, where many resent his views critical of Israel and endorsement of anti-Semitic enemies of the Jewish state, including the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

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