Jeremy Corbyn has been condemned by several Labour MPs and numerous right-wing mainstream media commentators after it emerged that the Labour leader attended a meeting on Monday night with a group who, according to Guido Fawkes, called for the destruction of Israel, dismissed the Labour anti-Semitism scandal as a “cynical manipulation”, and labelled Corbyn’s Jewish critics “non-Jews”.
It initially appeared as if Corbyn had been caught bang to rights – especially given the current fraught situation surrounding Labour and anti-Semitism.
Guido Fawkes had even obtained “LEAKED AUDIO” of the event, telling their followers on Twitter to “Listen to the moment guests shout “f*ck capitalism” and boo the names of mainstream Jews at event with Corbyn tonight”.
Before releasing the story, Guido Fawkes’ Chief Reporter Ross Kempsell had created intense anticipation, enticing his readers by labelling the impending story as one that ‘physically makes your jaw drop before it becomes news.‘
And then, finally, it was published. Guido’s headline screamed: EXCLUSIVE: Corbyn Tonight Met Far-Left Group Who Called For Destruction of Israel and Attacked His Jewish Critics as “Non-Jews”.
This was surely it for Corbyn. How could he be so insensitive to the Jewish community? After all the empty promises he’d uttered in recent weeks promising that Labour were going to do everything they can to route out anti-Semitism. It was incredible. The group even called themselves ‘Jewdas’ for god’s sake.
But, in true Guido style, their ‘EXCLUSIVE’, ‘jaw-dropping’ story really was too good to be true.
Despite Guido Fawkes deciding to make absolutely no mention of it in their article, the group that Corbyn met were actually comprised entirely of left-wing progressive Jews from Corbyn’s Islington constituency.
Furthermore, the Jewish group that Corbyn met with also happen to hold political views – such as disagreeing with Israel’s policy of routinely murdering unarmed Palestinians and flouting numerous International Human Rights Laws – that are in complete contrast to the pro-Israel-at-any-cost stance of the right-wing media and the Blairites.
Evolve promptly decided to ask Guido’s Chief Reporter Ross Kempsell whether he believed that the group of left-wing Jews that Corbyn met were themselves anti-Semitic for criticising Israel:
Are you claiming that Jews can be anti-Semitic, Ross? https://t.co/Yk1K2DIDyu
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) April 2, 2018
However, rather than being able to handle a little bit of scrutiny, Guido-scribber Kempsell simply decided to throw his toys out of the pram and block us:
Poor Guido snowflake Ross Kempsell just blocked Evolve Politics because he couldn't answer a simple question.
Their 'Jewdas' article strongly implies that the left-wing Jews that Corbyn met are anti-Semitic. Kempsell couldn't find an answer, so he blocked us. pic.twitter.com/c6OZEXrztz
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) April 2, 2018
And the blocking by right-wing snowflakes didn’t stop there. The S*n’s Harry Cole also promoted Guido’s article, so we asked him the same question as we asked Ross. A question which apparently also proved too tricky for poor old Harry to devise a coherent and believable answer to:
The next right-wing snowflake to simply block us after refusing to answer a simple question is The S*n's Harry Cole.
These right-wingers can't stand even the slightest bit of scrutiny! They are an utter joke! pic.twitter.com/iXLMjaVgqS
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) April 2, 2018
Upon finding out that the far-right pro-Tory comic Guido Fawkes had heavily implied that left-wing Jews who criticised Israel were anti-Semitic, many on Twitter were rightly absolutely furious.
Children’s writer, and prominent Jew Michael Rosen accused Guido of playing “Good Jew. Bad Jew”:
Good Jew, bad Jew. https://t.co/pZd2D9gesR
— Michael Rosen (@MichaelRosenYes) April 2, 2018
Whilst comedian David Schneider, made a mockery of Guido’s story, tweeting:
“Boo! Corbyn needs to get out and meets some Jews!”
[Corbyn spends Passover with some Jews at Jewdas]
“Boo! Not those Jews!”
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) April 2, 2018
Another prominent Jewish figure, Michael Segalov, simply wrote:
https://twitter.com/MikeSegalov/status/980940000757010432
Whilst a Jewish attendee at the Seder said Guido’s article was ‘offensive nonsense’, stating:
https://twitter.com/charlotte2153/status/980931784094507008
James Harland said:
https://twitter.com/DJMHarland/status/980923042489688064
https://twitter.com/DJMHarland/status/980929072099479554
Whilst Gary Spedding wrote:
It should deeply disturb all those who are genuine about putting an end to anti-Jewish oppression that right-wing sources like Guido continually try to silence, belittle and reinforce oppression of left-wing Jewish groups like @geoffreyjewdas labelling them a 'fringe group'
— Gary Spedding (@GarySpedding) April 2, 2018
And the criticism of Guido’s disgraceful smear article just kept coming:
The Guido Fawkes story at no point tells readers Jewdas is a group of Jews or the event is a Jewish event. It literally doesn’t mention this once. A right-wing website denying a group of Jews their Jewish identity, and accusing •them• of antisemitism. All for politics. Vile.
— Hicham Yezza (@HichamYezza) April 3, 2018
No it isn't. They are just Jews who disagree with other Jews. Which means: Jews. https://t.co/N2D3uxdbzq
— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) April 2, 2018
Ok. But to make out that it’s somehow a/s for him to spend Seder with them just cos they’re far left is balls.
— David Baddiel (@Baddiel) April 2, 2018
However, despite the fact that many prominent British Jews on Twitter were denouncing Guido’s article as a blatant smear – and even an anti-Semitic smear for simply dismissing the views of left-wing Jews – it didn’t take long for the Blairites to come crawling out of the woodwork once again to attack shamelessly use the smears to attack Jeremy Corbyn.
The Labour MP for Penistone and Stocksbridge, Angela Smith (not Jewish), wrote:
Corbyn’s attendance at the Jewdas seber reads as a blatant dismissal of the case made for tackling anti-Semitism in Labour. #EnoughisEnough
— Angela Smith (@angelasmithmp) April 2, 2018
Smith was then promptly branded an anti-Semite herself by a Jewish activist:
So what you’re saying is that some of us according to you, despite being proud practising progressive Jews are anti Semitic because we are left wing? How dare you define our Judaism and Jewishness, the only anti Semite here is you.
— Rob Abrams (@Rob_K_Abrams) April 2, 2018
Whilst arch anti-Corbynite John Woodcock (also not Jewish) shamelessly tweeted:
This is deliberately baiting the mainstream Jewish community days after they pleaded with him to tackle antisemitism. And he must know that meeting them now will give his members the message that the group’s extreme views are ok. Irresponsible and dangerous https://t.co/NORQQiFq8J
— Lord Walney (@LordWalney) April 2, 2018
Evolve Politics have contacted both Angela Smith and John Woodcock to confirm whether they believe that the left-wing Jews Jeremy Corbyn met with on Monday night are anti-Semitic. Neither Labour MP had responded to our request at the time of publishing.
Hi John, do you think that the group Jeremy met tonight are anti-Semitic? https://t.co/P8cmBfzVWM
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) April 2, 2018
Hi Angela, can I confirm that you believe the left-wing Jews that Jeremy met tonight are themselves anti-Semitic?
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) April 2, 2018
The simple fact that Guido conveniently omitted the fact that the group were entirely Jewish heavily indicates the article was published purely to whip up yet more frenzy around Jeremy Corbyn, and in turn provoke exactly this type of reaction from Labour right-wingers who, we would assume, have simply not realised that the group Corbyn met are entirely Jewish.
Nowhere in Guido's article does it even attempt to mention the fact that the group Corbyn met are themselves made up of Jews. This is beyond fake news, and deeply anti-Semitic in itself. https://t.co/p9Z9XPYaDB
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) April 2, 2018
However, if the aforementioned Blairites did realise the group were Jewish before posting their tweets, they are just as bad as Guido for appearing to want to shame left-wing Jews into changing their own political views to what the right-wing would consider ‘more acceptable’ (less critical of Israel).
Evolve is now calling on Guido Fawkes to develop a backbone and delete their disgraceful smear article.
Guido Fawkes have made a huge error in publishing their disgraceful smear implying that left-wing Jews are anti-Semitic.
If they have ANY backbone, or any inclination to eradicate anti-Semitism whatsoever, they need to IMMEDIATELY delete their article.
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) April 2, 2018
We won’t hold our breath.
