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Ok, I've watched the @BBCPanorama documentary. I'm someone who thinks Labour needs to do much more on antisemitism, and it really does. Yet this is one of the most tawdry pieces of journalism I have ever seen produced by a broadcaster claiming impartiality.
The hammed up sinister music and camera work aside, they have literally interviewed former members of staff who kicked out Labour members for retweeting Carolina Lucas or for expressing their love for the Foot Fighters (this is not a joke) yet allegedly sat on antisemitism cases.
The fact that, by the summer of 2016, most Labour antisemitism cases brought forward predated Corbyn even becoming leader isn't mentioned because, of course, this would undermine the entire narrative of the documentary.
The fact that one of the only new accusations in the documentary is based on an almost astonishingly wilful distortion really is beyond belief.
All this build up for a Panorama documentary which basically just presented old news stories set to a sinister soundtrack, with red-baiting McCarthyite talk of "lifelong Marxists" flooding the party added in for good measure.
Labour really does need to radically reform how it deals with internal disciplinary measures, particularly on antisemitism > theguardian.com/commentisfree/…
It hasn't done enough, distress and hurt caused to British Jews as a consequence. Yet this "documentary" is a travesty.
It hasn't done enough, distress and hurt caused to British Jews as a consequence. Yet this "documentary" is a travesty.
I'll keep calling on Labour to do more - much more - to win the confidence and faith of Jewish communities, including changing its disciplinary system. That doesn't mean indulging a BBC documentary that has failed even the most rudimentary tests of impartiality and balance.
