'Relations between Labour and Britain's Jewish community reached a new low today after the party's governing body approved a new code of conduct on anti-Semitism – ignoring the Chief Rabbi's warning doing so would send "a message of contempt".
The national executive committee ratified an earlier decision by a sub-group to adopt the code, which includes the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of anti-Semitism but not all of its accompanying examples of contemporary anti-Semitism . Sources indicated the NEC simultaneously called for consultation with community leaders over the full IHRA wording.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis had described the vote as a "watershed moment" as more than 60 rabbis from across the religious spectrum joined forces in an unprecedented show of unity against Labour's code. The NEC vote also flies in the face of overwhelming opposition from the parliamentary Labour Party. Chris Williamson and Richard Burden were among just four MPs to oppose a motion brought by MPs Alex Sobel and Luciana Berger.
The government, CPS and more than 100 local authorities have previously adopted the full definition with all the examples – and Jewish community leaders insisted it was for Jews to define the hate targeting them.'
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