Thread by @Freedland

A little scene from the Labour Party conference this evening (Thread)

I was talking on a street corner to @SadiqKhan. Two Labour Party members - white, middle-aged - approached him. They wanted to know why he’d attended the previous day’s @JewishLabour event.

“To show solidarity with our Jewish brothers and sisters”, he said.

“But they’re Zionists,” one replied. “Why would you show support to Israeli Zionists?” asked the other.

He replied with a question. “Why do you assume that members of the British Jewish community support every action of the Israeli government?”

They answered that “these Israeli Zionists” were trying to destabilise Labour and undermine Jeremy Corbyn: @JewishLabour should be expelled. Why hadn’t Khan gone to the Jewish Voice for Labour event, rather than supporting a group they again referred to as “Israeli Zionists”.

I fought the urge to jump in and say: because @JewishLabour is Lab’s oldest affiliate and has deep roots in the British Jewish community - while JVL was set up in 2017, expressly to deny accusations of antisemitism in Labour, and represents a tiny fringe of British Jewish opinion

The mayor decided to end the conversation at that point and told the women he no longer wished to talk to them. He turned his back on them, to resume our conversation. They accused him of being aggressive and rude.

What I saw was the leader of our capital city and a proud Muslim stand with his Jewish “brothers and sisters” against those who would exclude Jews. It was both depressing and heartening. We Jews know we have enemies - but we also have friends (ends)