Political storm as Jewish News claims Harlow Labour’s election candidate Laura McAlpine defended ‘Jewish final solution’ slur
General Election 2019 / Fri 8th Nov 2019 at 02:20pm
A POLITICAL storm is brewing on comments made by Harlow Labour candidate Laura McAlpine’s close adviser and her response to those remarks.
YH reported on the comments made by Brett Hawksbee, back in September 2018.
Mr Hawksbee is credited as the strategist behind Ms MacAlpine’s general election campaign including deft use of social media and the tagline LoveHarlow.
On Monday, Mr Hawkswbee was pictured by the world’s media seated a few places along from Jeremy Corbyn at a rally held in Harlow.
This triggered an article in the Jewish News.TimesofIsrael which referred to the controversy in 2018 when Mr Hawksbee referred to a “Jewish Final Solution” in a personal blog. The article also made reference to Mr Hawksbee’s apology.
Today (Friday) they have run an exclusive story which claims that Ms McAlpine defended the ‘Jewish final solution’ slur.
The article can be found here
The articles come in a week when all the Jewish newspapers in the UK have written of the concerns of the Jewish community of a Jeremy Corbyn-led government.
Since they published the article, a number of people have commented on there articles.
The chair of the Holocaust Educational Trust, Karen Pollock said: “You have to be able to say what is right and what is wrong – you’re standing for public office. For shame”.
Chair of Jewish National Labour, Mike Katz said: “Microcosm of what is wrong with Labour: choosing political loyalty over calling out racism. Hawksbee’s comments were absolutely vile.
“They have no place in a progressive, anti-racist party. But it begs question: why does he (& many others) think Lab is his natural political home?
Brett Hawksbee
2019-11-08 16:40:14
The language I used in the blog a few years ago was unacceptable and I would not use it today. I would like to reiterate the full apology I have made previously. I did not making a warning of any kind about Jewish people. This is false and defamatory, as the quote from the blog makes clear. I made a comparison between the actions of the Israeli army and the Nazis. This was wrong, deeply insensitive to the Jewish community and I am mortified and genuinely sorry. In the blog I also wrote about common antisemitic tropes and conspiracies including blood libel, 'Shylock' caricatures and how these have been utilised for the oppression and victimisation, ghettoisation, and forced resettlement and genocide suffered by Jewish people. The blog was intended to call out and address these antisemitic narratives, and I am mortified that I ended up having the opposite effect. It's essential that we reassure the Jewish community that we stand with them against rising antisemitism and stand with them against antisemitism in our Party. I am sincerely sorry for the hurt I have caused to the Jewish community.
Brett Hawksbee
2019-11-08 23:46:58
And Mike Katz is chair of Jewish Labour, not National Labour.
Dave Whitney
2019-11-09 01:38:22
The murder of hundreds of unarmed men, women, children, and infants in My Lai in Vietnam by US troops in 1968 was likened to the actions of the Nazis. The murder of hundreds of unarmed Palestinian boys, old men, and women by a Lebanese Christian militia brought into Beirut in 1982 by the Israel Defence Forces was compared to the actions of the Nazis. The murder of unarmed Muslims by Bosnian Serb militias in the 1990s was likened to the actions of the Nazis. It has often been the case in the past 75 years that atrocities have been likened to those carried out by the Nazis. People are appalled by these atrocities, and in an attempt to convey their gravity to others, they liken them to what is widely acknowledged to have been the epitome of injustice and horror. Those making these comparisons are not attempting to diminish the suffering of Jews, Romanies, and others at the hands of the Nazis and their allies. Those making these comparisons are not motivated by an animus towards Jews. It is wrong to accuse those who make such comparisons of anti-Semitism without concrete evidence. It should be noted that the current Conservative Member of Parliament for Harlow, Robert Halfon, suggested in Parliament in 2014 that the Kingdom of Jordan could become a Palestinian state, the implication of this comment being that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank should not be part of a Palestinian state. What does Mr Halfon think should happen to the Palestinians living in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip? What is his solution of the Palestinian question?
UKMaverick785
2019-11-09 02:12:13
Yet again, not a single comment on the issue from the Candidate herself! Not good enough. At least Brett has the backbone to put his case.
MickyB77
2019-11-09 05:48:00
These apologies and comparisons don't wash now, and never will. Hawksbees comments that he actually owns up to, were in Sept. 2018, not "a few years ago". Now you see that the backers of Laura M or Mrs A, for what they really are. Slurs and snide comments from D W and B H only appear to exacerbate the position that they're in. In the case of L M, silence seems to confirm assent of her advisers comments. Another disgraceful example of Momentums real ideals, for all to see.
Gary
2019-11-09 08:41:18
I keep on hearing this narrative from failed and former Labour MP's about how Corbyn will do this or do that and just say OK don't vote for Labour or him: simple really! Move on...... It fills column inches in overpriced irrelevant newspapers and pays the wages of "look at me aren't I great" political journalists. If the electorate support this nonsense then Johnson will be back in No. 10 in December. The change wont happen and normal crap will return. Never mind eh?
Gary
2019-11-09 09:07:26
Well I do mind and it is time to challenge the narrative and fight for credible and radical change. The country needs it.
MickyB77
2019-11-09 12:10:29
Unless you hadn't noticed, Gary, the article is about the prejudices and contempt shown by, B H , D W, and L M, and the Labour group towards members of the Jewish community. Now we can see where you actually belong. I don't think that the average voter can see where you get your information from, regarding the Marxist programme that you so idolise.
Dave Whitney
2019-11-09 12:44:32
have never shown any prejudice or contempt towards members of the Jewish community, MickyB77. Withdraw your libellous remark now.
jarrett
2019-11-09 13:23:03
Told you the other day Mickey how they work and lo and behold, time to get the popcorn out.
MickyB77
2019-11-11 13:38:48
Why is DW fixated with the Gaza strip ? Perhaps he should do us all a favour and take his myriad of talents with him, and become a political adviser to the PLA and Hamas. I can't wait wait for the election and the chaos that's coming the Marxists way. Still no re-action from L M, Mrs A........ re; Hawksbee. ? Seeing that she has defended him ?
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