New UK Labour Leader Starmer Starts to Stamp Out Anti-Semitism

When Keir Starmer was chosen as the new leader of the U.K. Labour Party I asked if he would stamp out anti-Semitism which had plagued the party under his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.

On Thursday, Starmer made a strong move in that direction when he sacked Rebecca Long-Bailey from the Shadow Cabinet after she had approving retweeted an article of an interview of British actress Maxine Peake who connected the murder of George Floyd to Israel. Peake claimed, "The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd's neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services." 

Starmer sacked Long-Bailey after she repeatedly refuse to delete her retweet. This is not an insignificant move as Long-Bailey was his chief rival during the leadership contest and had invited her into the Shadow Cabinet. For the moment, Starmer is demonstrating the will to not tolerate anti-Semitism at the highest levels.

Of course, there is possibility Starmer could go wobbly. He has been criticized by former Corbyn deputy John McDonnell who claimed, "Throughout discussion of anti-Semitism it's always been said criticism of practices of Israeli state is not anti-Semitic." It certainly is when it involves singling out Israel for defamation. Top trade union leader Len McCluskey has also criticized Starmer's decision.

I do wonder if Starmer will cave into pressure from Corbyn loyalists in quick order or quietly bring Long-Bailey back into the shadow cabinet in six months time. But for the moment this is most positive thing the Labour Party has done concerning anti-Semitism in more than five years. The question now is if Starmer can sustain zero tolerance against anti-Semitism.