Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis's extraordinary criticism of Labour over antisemitism has drawn a range of responses from British Jews, with some questioning his authority to speak for the entire community and others challenging his political neutrality. In a letter to The Guardian, Colin Montgomery of Edinburgh argued that Mirvis should also condemn the Conservatives for their role in creating conditions that fueled hate crime, particularly through Brexit and its associated anti-immigration rhetoric.
Dr Brian Klug of London rejected the notion of a single Jewish community, noting that only about 25% of British Jews belong to Mirvis's denomination. He said he would have recognised the chief rabbi as speaking for him if Mirvis had criticised both main parties over antisemitism and Islamophobia, and highlighted poverty and deprivation, rather than singling out Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn.
Two active Jewish Labour members, Nigel Leskin and Sonia Routledge, reported no antisemitism in their local parties. They praised Labour's progressive manifesto as protecting rights, contrasting it with what they described as the Conservative party's implicit intention to restrict human rights.
Phillip Cooper of Surbiton welcomed recent coverage that included quotes from Jewish Voice for Labour, which has consistently rejected allegations of antisemitism against Corbyn and the party. He urged readers to consult JVL's detailed report on what it calls the myths of Labour antisemitism.
