A categorical charge produced an uncategorical room: Yes won a narrow majority, but the platform’s voters were arguing over whether Labour’s stance on Israel reflects antisemitism or legitimate criticism of a state. The split was not merely numerical; it was a contest between competing definitions of what the party’s conduct means.
Yes voters tied the label to Labour’s alignment with Palestine, its settlement restrictions and the electoral pressures behind them. The floor’s most-respected Yes case said, “I think a lot of them are yes,” while another argued that Labour’s pro-Palestinian organisation “says enough”; beneath the bluntness was a claim about institutional culture, not every individual member.
No voters made the sharper distinction between Jews and Israel. Their highest-rated argument began, “Criticising a foreign government isn't racism, simple as that,” while another said, “It is wrong (indeed antisemitic) to conflate the state of Israel with the Jewish people.” The two sides often talked past each other: Yes treated policy and political incentives as evidence of a hostile pattern, while No treated the accusation itself as an attempt to make criticism impermissible.
The argument also carried the shadow of the Corbyn years and the subsequent clean-up. One No voice compressed that history into, “Compared with the Corbyn years, no,” while Yes voters argued that formal reforms cannot erase a culture overnight — especially as Burnham’s government has reignited the dispute with its measures on Israel, against a backdrop of record antisemitic incidents.
The verdict was a narrow Yes, but the room’s real division was over whether antisemitism is best identified by declared prejudice or by the political company, priorities and consequences surrounding a party’s actions.
38 Opinions
Labour are desperate for the Muslim vote, they dare not upset them. Their decision to put restrictions on Israeli products, recognising Palestine as a state etc, unfortunately, by proxy, makes them antisemite.
Criticising a foreign government isn't racism, simple as that. Banning goods from settlements built illegally on stolen land isn't hating Jewish people, it's just following the rules. The Israeli government doesn't speak for every Jewish person. Tossing around accusations of antisemitism just because ministers finally had the backbone to stand up to illegal land grabs is a cheap smear to shut down debate
I think a lot of them are yes. The party has been pushing to ban Israel on a lot of things for ages. It finally seems to be going in that direction.
The party has a group called the Labour friends of palestine... That says enough. Anyone that supports the terrorist settlement of palestine is Antisemitic. Labour rewarded the terrorists with full recognition as a legit country. Now they've put the UK at risk by siding with the terrorists and sanctioning Israel. This government wants the UK at war with Russia, Israel & America.
Labour is chasing the Muslim vote domestically whilst making itself a laughing stock in the world stage.
For Millibrain to come out and announce the ‘stories’ he had heard about Gaza had shocked him I was reminded of the people who swallowed Hamas propaganda - while being able to ignore the brutal murders of children and violent , filmed rapes. The BBC showed hospital strikes that weren’t , Hamas made films and statistics. For facts he could have asked people serving on the IGSA which has UK representation. He is the face of Labour - bacon sandwich , the Edstone and appeasement
The only evidence people can ever provide that the Labour Party is actually antisemitic are members who criticise the State of Israel, which isn't antisemitic in any way. It's very sad to see such a heinous accusation thrown around like it means nothing. Israel makes such a song and dance about being a liberal democracy yet they cry like babies when other democracies use their free speech to be critical of their constant policy of killing more and more people in the region.
Israel is a state, and whilst Jewish led the sanctions are nothing to do with anti semitism and instead respecting international law. All settlements in the West Bank have been recognised as illegal under all previous UK governments. The expansion of them by Israel is further illegal action and therefore should be raised as an issue.
It is wrong (indeed antisemitic) to conflate the state of Israel with the Jewish people. Labour has in fact been disgracefully slow to act on Israel's atrocities, war crimes and illegal settlement of the West Bank. Yesterday's sanctions, (focusing on just the illegal settlements and mirrored by many other nations), are a very modest first step. It is hysterical to call "antisemitism" but this is the stunt the Israeli government has been allowed to pull for too long
Labour are just holding Israel to account and far more softly than they would have done for another state, e.g Libya or Iraq.