A Labour Party branch in the United Kingdom will hold a no-confidence vote on a Jewish member of Parliament on the night of the holiest day in Judaism.
The lawmaker in question, Louise Ellman, said in August that she “understands” why Jews “would seriously consider” leaving the U.K. if Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn became prime minister, given his poor handling of anti-Semitism in the Labour Party. Now, in the wake of those remarks, the party branch from her constituency in Liverpool Riverside is set to hold a no-confidence vote on Oct. 8, the night of Yom Kippur, which is the day of atonement in Judaism, according to Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
The Jewish Labour Movement, a society affiliated with the Labour Party, condemned the scheduled no-confidence vote in a tweet on Wednesday.
“Scheduling a vote of no confidence in Louise Ellman on Kol Nidre, the most sacred night of the Jewish calendar, is truly despicable. This is racially motivated targeting and bullying of a Jewish MP — a perfect example of how the Party is institutionally racist towards Jews,” read the tweet.
The Labour Party has struggled with anti-Semitism in recent years, and a report from this summer found some party leaders were interfering with the disciplinary process for addressing accusations of anti-Semitism. In July 2018, the U.K.’s three main Jewish newspapers published the same front page and labeled Corbyn an “existential threat” to Jewish life in the country.
Corbyn has expressed regret for calling members of Hamas and Hezbollah, both U.S.-designated terrorist organizations, “friends” at a 2009 meeting. He has also said he regrets supporting an artist who painted a mural in London that showed Jews playing Monopoly on the backs of naked people.
